Metastasis predictors for neck sublevel IIb in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Highest clinical significance has positivity of sublevel IIa. Therefore, it is necessary to prove or exclude metastasis in sublevel IIa, preoperatively or intraoperatively, to decide whether to include sublevel IIb in dissection. Preoperative ultrasound-guided FNAB is a reliable method for the detection of positive lymph nodes in sublevel IIa in comparison with the definitive histopathological analysis.