No CrossRef data available.
Article contents
Value of thyroglobulin measurement of cystic neck mass fluid aspirate
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 October 2025
Abstract
Objectives
Cystic neck masses have a wide differential diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration cytology with or without thyroglobulin washout may be non-diagnostic or false-negative, while a primary thyroid tumour may be sonographically occult. We aim to demonstrate the value of biochemical thyroglobulin measurement in directly aspirated cyst fluid in diagnosis or exclusion of papillary thyroid cancer cystic nodal metastases.
Methods
Prospective case series (n = 10) of patients presenting with a lateral cystic neck mass with or without thyroid abnormality, where thyroglobulin measurement of aspirated cyst fluid was part of the diagnostic workup.
Results
N1b papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis was predicted by elevated thyroglobulin in cyst fluid aspirate in seven cases, all greater than 200 µg/L, confirmed at surgical resection. Papillary thyroid cancer nodal metastasis was refuted by low thyroglobulin result in three benign cystic lesions, all less than 6 µg/L.
Conclusion
Biochemical thyroglobulin analysis of fluid aspirate is a valuable adjunct for evaluation of cystic neck masses and pre-operative diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer cystic nodal metastases.
Information
- Type
- Short Communications
- Information
- Copyright
- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED.
Footnotes
Oliver Denton takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper
Preliminary versions of this research were presented at ENT Scotland, 11 November 2022, Stirling, Scotland, UK and the Annual meeting of the British Society of Head and Neck Imaging and Royal Society of Medicine, 31 June 2022, London, UK
References
Pacini, F, Fugazzola, L, Lippi, F, Ceccarelli, C, Centoni, R, Miccoli, P, et al. Detection of thyroglobulin in fine needle aspirates of nonthyroidal neck masses: a clue to the diagnosis of metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1992;74:1401–4Google Scholar
Wang, Y, Duan, Y, Li, H, Yue, H, Liu, J, Lai, Q, et al. Detection of thyroglobulin in fine-needle aspiration for diagnosis of metastatic lateral cervical lymph nodes in papillary thyroid carcinoma: a retrospective study. Front Oncol 2022;12:909723CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, Y, Duan, Y, Zhou, M, Liu, J, Lai, Q, Ye, B, et al. The diagnostic value of thyroglobulin in fine-needle aspiration of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid cancer and its influential factors. Surg Oncol 2021;39:101666CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ntotsikas, K, Lazarioti, S, Daraki, V, Drakos, E, Tsakalomatis, P-N, Syntzanaki, E-K, et al. Thyroglobulin as a rapid and cost-effective biomarker for diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma brain metastasis: a case report of a patient with metastatic hurthle cell thyroid carcinoma. Am J Case Rep 2023;24:e939025CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, Q, Liu, Y, Zhang, G, Long, H, Jiang, Y, Su, X. Diagnostic strategy of fine needle aspiration cytology of cystic cervical lymph node metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma. Diagn Cytopathol 2022;50:350–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed