CAPA thyroid webinar

CAPA is set to hold an April 19 webinar on the hard cases in thyroid needle biopsies, a test that helps doctors sort benign nodules from possible cancer. (x.com) The session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, April 19, and CAPA identified Dr. Xiaoying Liu and Dr. Min Zhang as the speakers. CAPA posted the event as part of its April cytopathology series. (x.com) A thyroid fine-needle aspiration uses a thin needle to remove cells from a thyroid nodule, usually with ultrasound guidance, and the sample is then reviewed under a microscope. The American Thyroid Association describes it as a simple office procedure used to help decide whether a nodule needs surgery or monitoring. (thyroid.org) Pathologists usually report those samples with the Bethesda System, a six-category framework that links each diagnosis to an estimated cancer risk and a management plan. The current third edition, published in 2023, kept the six-category structure while updating terminology and risk guidance. (pathologyoutlines.com) (semnro.com.ar) The webinar’s focus on “pitfalls and complexities” points to the part of thyroid cytology that causes the most debate: cases that do not fit neatly into benign or malignant boxes. Reviews of the field describe recurring gray zones, including atypia of undetermined significance and other indeterminate patterns that can push patients toward repeat biopsy, molecular testing, or surgery. (sciencedirect.com) (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) CAPA’s online lecture program typically runs on the first three Sundays of each month at 7 p.m. Eastern, and the group says registration is required. For nonmembers, CAPA says its educational webinars are usually held on Zoom and last one to two hours. (capa-ht.org 1) (capa-ht.org 2) The April lineup on CAPA’s site already listed April 5 and April 12 cytopathology talks, including sessions on urine cytology and serous fluid cytopathology. A CME claim page for the April 12 lecture shows CAPA has been issuing continuing medical education credit for recent online talks. (capa-ht.org 1) (capa-ht.org 2) Liu is listed by CAPA as an associate professor and director of cytopathology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and CAPA records show she has held multiple education and scientific programming roles in the organization. CAPA’s materials also place her on the cytopathology subcommittee and as chair of the scientific committee for the group’s 2025 diagnostic course. (capa-ht.org 1) (capa-ht.org 2) (capa-ht.org 3) For pathologists who already know the Bethesda labels, the April 19 talk is aimed at the cases where the labels are least straightforward. For clinicians who use those reports, that is often the point where a one-word diagnosis turns into a decision about repeat sampling, added testing, or an operation. (x.com) (pathologyoutlines.com)