Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Ill-defined Edge on Ultrasonographic Examination Can Be a Marker of Aggressive Characteristic of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma

  • Published:
World Journal of Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have previously demonstrated that, although most papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PMC) do not grow or grow only slowly, cases showing lateral node metastasis diagnosed by ultrasonography (US) show an aggressive characteristic associated with poor disease-free survival. In this study, we focused on two prominent US features: tumor, edge definition and strong echoes. We investigated whether these findings reflect aggressive characteristics of PMC in a series of 155 cases. Poor edge definition was observed in 21.5% of patients, all of who showed worse disease-free survival (p = 0.0477) than those with a well-defined edge. Furthermore, this finding was directly linked to US-diagnosed lateral node metastasis (p = 0.0001). Strong echoes were observed in 63.9% of the cases, and fine strong echoes were seen in 25.2%. Cases demonstrating fine strong echoes tended to frequently show recurrence (p = 0.0902), and this finding was also significantly linked to US-diagnosed lateral node metastasis (p = 0.0494). These findings suggest that an ill-defined tumor edge is an important US feature of biologically aggressive PMC. We should carefully follow such patients, regardless of the therapeutic strategy, observation, or surgical treatment chosen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hedinger C, Williams ED, Sobin LH. Histological Typing of Thyroid Tumors, volume 11, Berlin, Springer-Verlag, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  2. Iida F, Sugenoya A, Muramatsu A. Clinical and pathologic properties of small differentiated carcinomas of the thyroid gland. World J. Surg. 1991;15:511–515

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Hay ID, Grant CS, van Heerden JA, et al. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a study of 535 cases observed in a 50-year period. Surgery 1992;112:1139–1147

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Rodriguez JM, Moreno A, Parrila P, et al. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: clinical study and prognosis. Eur. J. Surg. 1997;163:255–259

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Rassael H, Thompson LDR, Heffess CS. A rationale for conservative management of microscopic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid gland: a clinicopathological correlation of 90 cases. Eur. Arch. Otorhinolaryngol. 1998;255:462–467

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Ito Y, Uruno R, Nakano K, et al. An observation trial without surgical treatment in patients with papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid Thyroid 2003;13:381–388

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Harach HR, Franssila KO, Wasenius VM. Occult papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: a “normal” finding in Finland. A systematic autopsy study. Cancer 1985;56:531–538

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fukunaga FH, Yatani R. Geographic pathology of occult thyroid carcinomas. Cancer 1975;36:1095–1099

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Lang W, Borrusch G, Bauer L. Occult carcinomas of the thyroid. Am. J. Clin. Pathol. 1988;90:72–76

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ito Y, Tomoda C, Uruno T, et al. Preoperative ultrasonographic examination for lymph node metastasis is useful when designing lymph node dissection for papillary microcarcinoma. World J. Surg. 2004;28:498–501

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ito Y, Tomoda C, Uruno T, et al. Papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid: how should it be treated? World J. Surg. 2004; 28: 1115–1121

    Google Scholar 

  12. Antonelli A, Miccoli P, Ferdeghini M, et al. Role of neck ultrasonography in follow-up of patients operated on for differentiated thyroid cancer. Thyroid 1995;5: 25–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Chang TC, Hong CT, Chang SL, et al. Correlation between sonography and pathology in thyroid diseases. J. Formosan Med. Assoc. 1990;89:777–783

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Khoo MLC, Asa SL, Witterick IJ, et al. Thyroid calcification and its association with thyroid carcinoma. Head Neck 2002;24:651–655

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Koike E, Noguchi S, Yamashita H, et al. Ultrasonographic characteristics of thyroid nodules. Arch. Surg. 2001;136:334–337

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Chan BK, Desser TS, McDougall IR, et al. Common and uncommon sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma. J. Ultrasound Med. 2003;22:1083–1090

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Schindler AM, van Melle G, Evequoz B, et al. Prognostic factors in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Cancer 1991;68:324–330

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Takashima S, Fukuda H, Nomura N, et al. Thyroid nodules: re-evaluation with ultrasound. J. Clin. Ultrasound 1995;23:179–185

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Klinck GH, Winship T. Psammoma bodies and thyroid cancer. Cancer 1959;12:656–662

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ahuja AT, Chow L, Chick W, et al. Metastatic cervical nodes in papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: ultrasound and histological correlation. Clin. Radiol. 1995;43:121–124

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fujimoto Y, Obara T, Ito Y, et al. Diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. Clinical importance, surgical treatment, and follow-up study. Cancer 1990;66:2306–2312

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schoroder S, Bay V, Dumke K, et al. Diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma. S-100 protein immunocytochemistry and prognosis. Virchows Arch. A. Pathol. Anat. Histopathol. 1990;416:367–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of surgery, Kuma Hospital, 8-2-35, Shimoyamate-dori, 650-0011, Kobe City, Chuo-ku, Japan

    Yasuhiro Ito M.D., Kaoru Kobayashi M.D., Chisato Tomoda M.D., Takashi Uruno M.D., Yuuki Takamura M.D., Akihiro Miya M.D., Fumio Matsuzuka M.D., Kanji Kuma M.D. & Akira Miyauchi M.D.

Authors
  1. Yasuhiro Ito M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kaoru Kobayashi M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chisato Tomoda M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Takashi Uruno M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuuki Takamura M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Akihiro Miya M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Fumio Matsuzuka M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kanji Kuma M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Akira Miyauchi M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yasuhiro Ito M.D..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ito, Y., Kobayashi, K., Tomoda, C. et al. Ill-defined Edge on Ultrasonographic Examination Can Be a Marker of Aggressive Characteristic of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma. World J. Surg. 29, 1007–1011 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-005-7834-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-005-7834-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation