Review of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology: A Local Study in Bohol Island, Philippines

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the adaptability and reproducibility of the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC) in a local setting and to determine the risk of malignancy for each category. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of 80 thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology cases using the BSRTC with corresponding histopathology was done between September 2009 and December 2012. Agreement scores were calculated using kappa statistics. Results: Consensus among two readers was attained for 73 cases (91.25%). No disagreement was noted for the malignant cases. The strength of agreement was very good, with a kappa statistic of 0.90. The risk of malignancy observed histologically was as follows: benign 3%, atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) 50%, suspicious for follicular/Hurthle cell neoplasm 50%, suspicious for malignancy 78%, and malignant 100%. Conclusion: In this study, there is an outstanding reproducibility for the classification scheme. The application of the BSRTC as the standardized reporting is readily adaptable and therefore its application in larger medical centers is highly recommended. Our findings of a higher risk of malignancy seen in AUS (50%) and malignant (100%) categories in those who underwent surgical resection corroborated other published studies. Conveying this risk to clinical colleagues is important and will facilitate optimal patient care. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel