Cervical lymph node metastases from thyroid cancer: does thyroglobulin and calcitonin measurement in fine needle aspirates improve the diagnostic value of cytology?

Table 3 Diagnostic performance of the different tests employed in the diagnosis of suspicious metastatic cervical lymph nodes (CLN) from thyroid cancer patients

Test	Sensitivity	Specificity	PPV	NPV	Accuracy
*PTC + ATC CLN (n = 29)*
FNAB-C	88.5 (23/26) [69.9-97.6]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (23/23) [85.2-100]	N.D. (0/3) [0-70.8]	88.5 (23/26) [69.9-97.6]
FNAB-Tgp	92.3 (24/26) [74.9-99.1]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (24/24) [85.8-100]	N.D. (0/2) [0-84.2]	92.3 (24/26) [74.9-99.1]
FNAB-Tgm	87.5 (21/24) [88.1-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (21/21) [84.0-100]	N.D. (0/3) [0-70.8]	87.5 (21/24) [88.1-100]
FNAB-Tgp + -Tgm	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]
FNAB-C + -Tgp	96.6 (28/29) [82.2-99.9]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (28/28) [87.7-100]	N.D. (0/1) [0-97.5]	96.6 (28/29) [82.2-99.9]
FNAB-C + -Tgm	92.9 (26/28) [76.5-99.1]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (26/26) [86.8-100]	N.D. (0/2) [0-84.2]	92.9 (26/28) [76.5-99.1]
FNAB-C + -Tgp + -Tgm	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (29/29) [88.1-100]
*Only PTC CLN (n = 26)*
FNAB-C	95.7 (22/23) [78.1-99.9]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (22/22) [84.6-100]	N.D. (0/1) [0-97.5]	95.7 (22/23) [78.1-99.9]
FNAB-Tgp	100 (23/23) [85.2-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (23/23) [85.2-100]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (23/23) [85.2-100]
FNAB-Tgm	90.5 (19/21) [69.6-98.8]	N.D. (0/0) [N.D.]	100 (19/19) [82.4-100]	N.D. (0/2) [0-84.2]	90.5 (19/21) [69.6-98.8]

Upper panel includes 26 CLN with metastatic PTC and ATC. Lower panel includes 23 CLN with only metastatic PTC. PPV, positive predictive value; NPV, negative predictive value; C, cytology; Tgp, thyroglobulin protein; Tgm, thyroglobulin mRNA. In bracket the number of cases. N.D., non-determined.

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