NIFTP-adjusted risk estimation of Bethesda thyroid cytology categories should consider the indication for FNA according to TIRADS

Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP) was firstly described in 2016. Since NIFTP is thought a non-malignant tumor, the Bethesda system for thyroid cytology proposes two estimations of risk of malignancy of the diagnostic categories, one considering NIFTP as cancer and another one considering it as a benign neoplasm. The present study aimed to review NIFTPs in a single center, re-assess them across categories of three Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (TIRADSs), and define the indication for biopsy according to the category-specific size cut-offs.

The study period was from 2017 to 2023. The institutional database was searched for histologically proven NIFTPs with preoperative ultrasound images. NIFTPs were re-assessed according to the American College of Radiology (ACR), European (EU), and Korean (K) TIRADSs. The indication for biopsy was defined according to TIRADS category-specific size threshold.

Twenty NIFTPs from 19 patients were included. The median size of the NIFTPs was 23 mm. According to ultrasound, 80–85% of NIFTPs were at low-intermediate risk and 5–15% at high risk without significant difference among the tree TIRADSs (p = 0.91). The indication for FNA, according to three TIRADSs, was found in 52–58% of cases with no significant difference among systems (p = 0.96).

NIFTPs have heterogeneous presentation according to TIRADSs with very low indication rate for FNA.