Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32609146›Full record

ArticleArchives of endocrinology and metabolism2020

Cost effectiveness of intraoperative pathology in the management of indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Christopher D Vuong, WayAnne B Watson, Daniel I Kwon, Sonia S Mohan, Mia N Perez, Steve C Lee, Alfred A Simental

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of endocrinology and metabolism, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. [Frozen section in oncologic endocrine surgery].Chirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Completion Thyroidectomy Trends and Rates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Clinical otolaryngology : official journal of ENT-UK ; official journal of Netherlands Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology & Cervico-Facial Surgery · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Intraoperative frozen section performance for thyroid cancer diagnosis.Archives of endocrinology and metabolism · 2022
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Christopher D VuongDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
WayAnne B WatsonLoma Linda School of Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
Daniel I KwonDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States.
Sonia S MohanDepartment of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
Mia N PerezDepartment of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
Steve C LeeDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
Alfred A SimentalDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California, United States.
Loma Linda University Medical Center · USUniversity of Southern California · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective This study aims to determine the cost effectiveness of rapid frozen section (RFS) for indeterminate thyroid nodules. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review was conducted between January 2009 and June 2013 at a tertiary care institution. Main outcomes were number needed to treat, RFS efficacy, and cost-savings of avoiding second completion thyroidectomy. Cost-effectiveness was estimated using 2015 Medicare reimbursement rate. Results Out of 1,114 patients undergoing thyroid surgery, 314 had preoperative AUS/FLUS cytopathology and subsequent thyroid lobectomy with RFS. RFS identified 13 of the 32 patients with malignancy resulting in a total thyroidectomy. 19 of the 29 malignancies not detected by RFS were papillary microcarcinomas. Conclusions Completion thyroidectomy was avoided in 1 out of every 24 patients resulting in cost-savings of $ 80.04 per patient. In the era of outpatient thyroid surgery, intraoperative RFS for indeterminate thyroid nodules is cost-effective.

Indexed as

Thyroid NoduleCost-Benefit AnalysisHumansMedicareRetrospective StudiesThyroidectomyThyroid NeoplasmsUnited States

Identifiers

PMID32609146
PMCPMC10522076
OpenAlexW3039038776

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.