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Is a follow-up ultrasound examination necessary after a negative fine-needle aspirate (FNA) of a thyroid nodule? If so, what is the optimal time interval? Although several guidelines recommend repeat ultrasound at 6 to 18 months, guideline writers acknowledge that their recommendations are based mostly on opinion (Thyroid 2009; 19:1167 and Endocr Pract 2006; 12:63). To address the need for hard evidence, researchers performed a cohort study using prospectively acquired data from a Boston hospital's thyroid nodule clinic.
Nearly 1400 patients with thyroid nodules, benign FNA results, and documented follow-up in the hospital's electronic record system were identified. Eighteen patients eventually received diagnoses of thyroid cancer (an averag…