Factors Influencing Inadequacy in Rapid Onsite Evaluation of Ultrasound Guided Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) Samples of Thyroid Nodules

NCT ID: NCT06984991

Last Updated: 2025-05-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

160 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-06-01

Study Completion Date

2026-08-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical finding with a prevalence of around 50-67% in the general population using ultrasound examinations. Of these, malignancies account for 5-15% including the treatable papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas and the rarer but more aggressive medullary and undifferentiated thyroid cancers .

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a relatively simple, cost-effective recommended standard diagnostic procedure with high sensitivity and specificity for the preoperative evaluation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules .

Cytopathology reports of thyroid FNA are categorized using a universal grading system , which helps to standardize reporting of diagnostic thyroid cytology results . In the non-diagnostic/unsatisfactory category (Bethesda I), ranging from 1% to 20% of samples, pathologists are unable to make a clinical diagnosis based on these samples due to an inadequate number of cells or difficulty in identifying cells. The estimated risk of malignancy in this category is 1-4 %, which usually managed by repeating FNA with increase in patient discomfort, procedural complications and medical costs .

There are few other prospective studies investigated the effect of needle size, and sampling technique on sample adequacy .

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical finding with a prevalence of around 50-67% in the general population using ultrasound examinations. Of these, malignancies account for 5-15% including the treatable papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas and the rarer but more aggressive medullary and undifferentiated thyroid cancers.

The American Thyroid Association has devised an algorithm "Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) for evaluation and management of thyroid nodules based on US pattern and size to recommend fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology to minimize unnecessary FNAs/thyroid surgeries for nodules that are most likely benign and to avoid over-treating micropapillary thyroid carcinoma which is indolent. Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is a relatively simple, cost-effective recommended standard diagnostic procedure with high sensitivity and specificity for the preoperative evaluation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules .

Cytopathology reports of thyroid FNA are categorized using a universal grading system called The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, which helps to standardize reporting of diagnostic thyroid cytology results \[3\]. In the non-diagnostic/unsatisfactory category (Bethesda I), ranging from 1% to 20% of samples, pathologists are unable to make a clinical diagnosis based on these samples due to an inadequate number of cells or difficulty in identifying cells. The estimated risk of malignancy in this category is 1-4 %, which usually managed by repeating FNA with increase in patient discomfort, procedural complications and medical costs .

Several retrospective and prospective studies investigated the factors associated with Non-diagnostic samples rates, most of which focused on ultrasound guidance, the rapid on-site cytological evaluation and cystic components of the nodule . However; There are few other prospective studies investigated the other nodule characteristics, needle size, and sampling technique .

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Thyroid Cancer

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

thyroid FNA

All FNAs will be performed by experienced radiologists (of 5-year experience in thyroid FNA procedures). Patients will be positioned comfortably, typically in a supine position with neck extension after putting a pillow under shoulders to fully expose the patient's neck to allow optimal access to the nodule. Ultrasound guidance using Logic E9 machine (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA) or Sonoscape X5 Portable Ultrasound machine with high-frequency linear array probes (3-12 MHz) will be used to visualize the nodule accurately and guide needle placement. 5ml syringe with 21G needle, 3ml syringe with 23G needle or 22G Quincke tip spinal needle will be used for FNA. Needle insertion will be directed either trans-isthmic or lateral cervical approach. Aspirations will be conducted at different angles and within different nodule regions using a to-and-fro motion till getting blood stain in the needle hub to obtain representative samples. Maximum number of four passes will be performed .

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

fine needle aspiration

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Different needle sizes will be used in FNA sampling ; 5ml syringe with 21G needle, 3ml syringe with 23G needle or 22G Quincke tip spinal needle will be used for FNA. Needle insertion will be directed either trans-isthmic or lateral cervical approach. Aspirations will be conducted at different angles and within different nodule regions using a to-and-fro motion till getting blood stain in the needle hub to obtain representative samples. Maximum number of four passes will be performed within the nodule in a single session. Samples will be primarily obtained without suction via the capillary method. However, aspiration with suction will be applied if no aspirates could be obtained in the needle hub after routine capillary method. For mixed cystic solid lesions; FNA will be done from the solid component after aspiration of the cystic component

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

fine needle aspiration

Different needle sizes will be used in FNA sampling ; 5ml syringe with 21G needle, 3ml syringe with 23G needle or 22G Quincke tip spinal needle will be used for FNA. Needle insertion will be directed either trans-isthmic or lateral cervical approach. Aspirations will be conducted at different angles and within different nodule regions using a to-and-fro motion till getting blood stain in the needle hub to obtain representative samples. Maximum number of four passes will be performed within the nodule in a single session. Samples will be primarily obtained without suction via the capillary method. However, aspiration with suction will be applied if no aspirates could be obtained in the needle hub after routine capillary method. For mixed cystic solid lesions; FNA will be done from the solid component after aspiration of the cystic component

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Patients referred for FNA of thyroid nodules (TIRAD-3, 4 and 5 nodules).

Exclusion Criteria

* History of thyroid ablation before FNA
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Assiut University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Ramy Mohammed Ahmed

lecturer and consultant of radiology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Assiut University Hospital

Asyut, Asyut Governorate, Egypt

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Egypt

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Ramy M Mohammed, MD of radiology

Role: CONTACT

+201153070865

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

ramy M MOhammed, consultant of radiology

Role: primary

00201153070865

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Sander CJ. Anaesthetic risk to tervuerens. Vet Rec. 1979 Nov 24;105(21):496. doi: 10.1136/vr.105.21.496. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 538881 (View on PubMed)

Cibas ES, Ali SZ. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Thyroid. 2009 Nov;19(11):1159-65. doi: 10.1089/thy.2009.0274.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19888858 (View on PubMed)

Gharib H, Papini E, Garber JR, Duick DS, Harrell RM, Hegedus L, Paschke R, Valcavi R, Vitti P; AACE/ACE/AME Task Force on Thyroid Nodules. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS, AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY, AND ASSOCIAZIONE MEDICI ENDOCRINOLOGI MEDICAL GUIDELINES FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF THYROID NODULES--2016 UPDATE. Endocr Pract. 2016 May;22(5):622-39. doi: 10.4158/EP161208.GL.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27167915 (View on PubMed)

Moifo B, Moulion Tapouh JR, Dongmo Fomekong S, Djomou F, Manka'a Wankie E. Ultrasonographic prevalence and characteristics of non-palpable thyroid incidentalomas in a hospital-based population in a sub-Saharan country. BMC Med Imaging. 2017 Mar 4;17(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s12880-017-0194-8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28259145 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

Access external resources that provide additional context or updates about the study.

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

thyroid FNA

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.