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Complications following US-guided core-needle biopsy for thyroid lesions: a retrospective study of 6,169 consecutive patients with 6,687 thyroid nodules

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Abstract

Objectives

To present the various complications of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of thyroid lesions in a large patient series.

Methods

From January 2008 to March 2013, 6,169 patients underwent US-guided CNB of 6,687 thyroid nodules at a single institution. We assessed the number and types of major and minor complications, and evaluated the factors associated with complications.

Results

Overall, 53 complications were observed in 50 patients (0.81 %), including 4 major and 49 minor complications. The major complications were massive haematoma (n = 2), pseudoaneurysm (n = 1) and voice change leading to disability that lasted for more than 30 days (n = 1). The minor complications were small to moderate haematoma (n = 42), carotid injury (n = 2), voice change that recovered within 30 days (n = 3), tracheal puncture (n = 1) and dysphagia (n = 1). Oedema (n = 12), vertebral puncture (n = 3) and vasovagal reaction (n = 1) were recorded as side effects. The presence of a coprocedure was the only significant factor associated with complications after thyroid CNB (P = 0.023).

Conclusions

US-guided CNB of thyroid lesions was found in a large population to be a safe procedure with a low complication rate.

Key Points

• The complication rate after US-guided CNB for thyroid lesions was 0.81 % (50/6,169).

• The rate of major complications was 0.06 % (4/6,169).

• Vascular injury was the most common complication (47/6,169; 0.76 %).

• None of the patients experienced permanent problems resulting from complications.

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Abbreviations

CNB:

Core needle biopsy

CT:

Computed tomography

FNA:

Fine-needle aspiration

RF:

Radiofrequency

US:

Ultrasound

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Acknowledgments

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Jung Hwan Baek. The authors declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. The authors state that this work did not receive any funding. No complex statistical methods were necessary for this study. The Institutional Review Board approved this retrospective study and required neither patient approval nor informed consent for review of the images and medical records. However, informed consent for FNA or CNB was obtained from all patients prior to biopsy.

Methodology: retrospective case-control single-centre study

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Wonchon-Dong, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, 443-380, Korea

    Eun Ju Ha

  2. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-Gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea

    Jung Hwan Baek, Jeong Hyun Lee & Young Jun Choi

  3. Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, 224-1 Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 156-755, Korea

    Jae Kyun Kim

  4. Department of Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-Gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, 138-736, Republic of Korea

    Tae Yon Sung

  5. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 86 Asanbyeongwon-Gil, Songpa-Gu, Seoul, 138-736, Republic of Korea

    Tae Yong Kim

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  1. Eun Ju Ha
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Correspondence to Jung Hwan Baek.

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Ha, E.J., Baek, J.H., Lee, J.H. et al. Complications following US-guided core-needle biopsy for thyroid lesions: a retrospective study of 6,169 consecutive patients with 6,687 thyroid nodules. Eur Radiol 27, 1186–1194 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4461-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4461-9

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