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Role of Surgeon-Performed Ultrasound in Predicting Malignancy in Patients with Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules

  • Endocrine Tumors
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Certain ultrasound features can predict malignancy in patients with thyroid nodules. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of surgeon-performed ultrasound (SUS) in predicting thyroid malignancy in patients with indeterminate fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology.

Methods

477 consecutive patients with dominant thyroid nodules were referred to our institution from 2002 to 2007. Of these, 180/477(38%) were judged to have indeterminate cytology: follicular neoplasm (FN, n = 108), Hürthle neoplasm (HN, n = 29), and suspicious for papillary thyroid cancer (SPTC, n = 43). SUS characteristics for thyroid nodules were recorded in a prospective database prior to thyroidectomy. Variables analyzed included patients’ age and sex, nodule size, shape, echogenicity, consistency, borders, multiplicity/multicentricity, and presence of microcalcifications. SUS features of thyroid nodules were correlated with final pathology. The accuracy of individual SUS features as well as the presence of two or more adverse features in predicting malignancy was also examined.

Results

There were 144 females and 36 males. Mean age was 52 years (range 17–87 years). Mean tumor size was 2.7 cm (range 0.65–6.6 cm). Overall, final pathology revealed cancer in 92/180 (51%) patients. Malignancy was present in 40/108 (37%) FN, 12/29 (41%) HN, and 40/43 (93%) SPTC. Nodule borders (irregular), shape (height > width), hypoechogenicity, and presence of microcalcifications were significantly associated with malignancy. The presence of 2 or ≥3 adverse SUS thyroid nodule features was associated with a ≥55% or ≥78% risk of malignancy, respectively.

Conclusion

Adverse thyroid nodule features seen on SUS may predict malignancy and help determine the initial extent of thyroidectomy in patients with indeterminate FNA cytology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, USA

    William Méndez MD

  2. Division of Endocrine Surgery, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Ave., Sylvester Cancer Center Room 3550, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    William Méndez MD, Steven E. Rodgers MD, PhD, John I. Lew MD, Raquel Montano BS & Carmen C. Solórzano MD, FACS

Authors
  1. William Méndez MD
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  2. Steven E. Rodgers MD, PhD
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  3. John I. Lew MD
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  4. Raquel Montano BS
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  5. Carmen C. Solórzano MD, FACS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carmen C. Solórzano MD, FACS.

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Méndez, W., Rodgers, S.E., Lew, J.I. et al. Role of Surgeon-Performed Ultrasound in Predicting Malignancy in Patients with Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules. Ann Surg Oncol 15, 2487–2492 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-008-0052-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-008-0052-6

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