RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 A core needle biopsy provides more malignancy-specific results than fine-needle aspiration biopsy in thyroid nodules suspicious for malignancy JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 1046 OP 1050 DO 10.1136/jclinpath-2013-201559 VO 66 IS 12 A1 T Hakala A1 I Kholová A1 J Sand A1 R Saaristo A1 P Kellokumpu-Lehtinen YR 2013 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/66/12/1046.abstract AB Background and aims The most commonly used diagnostic method for the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules is ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNA), which often yields non-diagnostic or non-definitive results and seldom produces definite malignant diagnoses. To improve upon the malignancy-specific sensitivity, we tested core needle biopsies (CNBs) of thyroid lesions taken from surgical specimens. Material and methods 52 consecutive patients with malignant or malignant-suspicious thyroid nodules were referred to Tampere University Hospital between May 2010 and December 2011. Preoperative FNAs were categorised as follicular neoplasm (48%), suspicion for malignancy (46%) or malignancy (6%). Intraoperative FNA and CNB samples were acquired from surgical specimens removed during surgery. The results of the needle biopsies were compared with the final pathological diagnosis. Results CNBs had a high definitive sensitivity for malignancy (61%, CI 41% to 78%) whereas the definitive sensitivity for malignancy of FNAs was significantly lower (22%, CI 10% to 42%). CNB was not beneficial in the diagnosis of follicular thyroid lesions. When all suspected follicular tumours were excluded, the definitive sensitivity of CNB rose to 70% (CI 48% to 86%). Conclusions CNB may be beneficial for the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and other non-follicular thyroid lesions. CNB may be considered as an additional diagnostic procedure in cases with FNA suspicious for malignancy.