Medullary Thyroid Nodules by Measurement of Calcitonin (Ct) in Aspiration Needle Washout in Patients with Multinodular Goiter and Moderately Elevated Serum Ct

P. Trimboli; G. Nigri; F. Romanelli; D. D. Cicciarella Modica; A. Crescenzi; S. Valabrega; L. Giovanella

doi:10.1055/s-0031-1291344

Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes, Table of Contents

Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2012; 120(04): 234-237
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1291344

Article

Medullary Thyroid Nodules by Measurement of Calcitonin (Ct) in Aspiration Needle Washout in Patients with Multinodular Goiter and Moderately Elevated Serum Ct

P. Trimboli

¹Section of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy

,

G. Nigri

²Sapienza University 2nd School of Medicine ,Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy

,

F. Romanelli

³Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

,

D. D. Cicciarella Modica

⁴Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy

,

A. Crescenzi

⁴Section of Pathology, Ospedale Israelitico, Rome, Italy

,

S. Valabrega

²Sapienza University 2nd School of Medicine ,Ospedale S. Andrea, Rome, Italy

,

L. Giovanella

⁵Department of Nuclear Medicine and Thyroid Centre, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

The accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is low in medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC). Recently, a few papers analyzed the measurement of calcitonin (Ct) in washout of the needle after aspiration (WO-Ct) suggesting that this approach may be useful in patients with high serum Ct.

Here we reported, for the first time in our best knowledge, 3 patients with multinodular goiter, moderately elevated serum Ct, high value of WO-Ct, and medullary outcome. These findings suggest that in presence of high serum Ct, FNAC should be performed in all nodules, and it should be combined with WO-Ct in all cases.

Key words

medullary thyroid carcinoma - calcitonin - washout measurement - fine needle aspiration

Full Text

References

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