Pitfalls in the surgical pathologic diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma

While the surgical pathology examination of the thyroid gland for papillary carcinoma may seem, on its surface, to be relatively straightforward, in reality it is fraught with diagnostic traps. Avoidance of these pitfalls is necessary for guiding the surgeon and endocrinologist to the appropriate treatment and follow up. This review will detail a selected group of some of the more commonly encountered challenges in making the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma from a busy head and neck pathology consultation practice.