Feasibility of surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy in the thyroid and lymph nodes

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) performed by a surgeon for mass lesions in the thyroid and lymph nodes. Methods A single surgeon performed 30 office-based ultrasound-guided CNB procedures for mass lesions in the thyroid and lymph nodes that were previously biopsied by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The procedure time, targeting success, pathological diagnosis, and complications were evaluated. Results The mean procedure time for ultrasound-guided CNB was 6.7 minutes, and it reached a plateau of 4 to 7 minutes after the first 5 procedures. The overall unsatisfactory sampling rate was 3.3% (1 of 30). Specific pathological diagnoses that permitted the surgeon to establish an appropriate treatment plan were provided in 93.3% of the patients (28 of 30). There were no major complications. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided CNB is technically feasible for a head and neck surgeon and a useful adjunct technique when ultrasound-guided FNAC is inadequate for mass lesions in the thyroid and lymph nodes.