In the setting of cancer pathology, molecular characterization of tumors providing diagnostic and predictive information is acquiring more and more relevance. Moreover, the advent of innovative technologies continuously improves the knowledge of the molecular landscape of tumors and strengthens the links between clinics, tumor pathology and molecular features. In the clinical management of patients with thyroid nodules and thyroid tumors, the aid of molecular testing is encouraged but still not strongly recommended by current guidelines. Also for this reason this field of study is attracting much interest. The nCounter system is a relatively new technology based on a direct hybridization of fluorescent probes to specific nucleic acid targets, followed by digital measurement of signals; the reaction is highly multiplexable and results are robust and reproducible. This review reports and discusses the available data related to the application of this specific technique to thyroid nodules and thyroid tumors samples. The available data indicate that nCounter system represents a solid approach for the research of relevant diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in thyroid pathology.

在癌症病理学的背景下，提供诊断和预测信息的肿瘤分子特征正在获得越来越多的相关性。此外，创新技术的出现不断提高对肿瘤分子景观的认识，并加强临床、肿瘤病理学和分子特征之间的联系。在甲状腺结节和甲状腺肿瘤患者的临床管理中，鼓励分子检测的帮助，但目前的指南仍然不强烈推荐。也因为这个原因，这个研究领域引起了很大的兴趣。nCounter 系统是一种相对较新的技术，它基于荧光探针与特定核酸靶标的直接杂交，然后对信号进行数字测量；该反应高度可复用，结果可靠且可重复。本综述报告并讨论了与将这种特定技术应用于甲状腺结节和甲状腺肿瘤样本相关的可用数据。现有数据表明，nCounter 系统代表了研究甲状腺病理学相关诊断和预后生物标志物的可靠方法。