The cost-effectiveness of iodine 131 scintigraphy, ultrasonography, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the initial diagnosis of solitary thyroid nodules.
Publication/Presentation Date
3-1-2006
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the cost-effectiveness of fine-needle aspiration biopsy, iodine 131 scintigraphy, and ultrasonography for the initial diagnostic workup of a solitary palpable thyroid nodule.
DESIGN: A deterministic cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a decision tree to model the diagnostic strategies.
SETTING: A single, mid-Atlantic academic medical center.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expected costs, expected number of cases correctly diagnosed, and incremental cost per additional case correctly diagnosed.
RESULTS: Relative to the routine use of fine-needle aspiration biopsy, the incremental cost per case correctly diagnosed is 24,554 dollars for the iodine 131 scintigraphy strategy and 1212 dollars for the ultrasound strategy.
CONCLUSIONS: A diagnostic strategy using initial fine-needle aspiration biopsy for palpable thyroid nodules was found to be cost-effective compared with the other approaches as long as a payor's willingness to pay for an additional correct diagnosis is less than 1212 dollars. Prospective studies are needed to validate these finding in clinical practice.
Volume
132
Issue
3
First Page
244
Last Page
250
ISSN
0886-4470
Published In/Presented At
Khalid, A. N., Hollenbeak, C. S., Quraishi, S. A., Fan, C. Y., & Stack, B. C., Jr (2006). The cost-effectiveness of iodine 131 scintigraphy, ultrasonography, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the initial diagnosis of solitary thyroid nodules. Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery, 132(3), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1001/archotol.132.3.244
Disciplines
Community Health and Preventive Medicine | Health Services Research | Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
16549743
Department(s)
Department of Community Health and Health Studies
Document Type
Article