Taller-than-wide Thyroid Nodules With Microcalcifications Are at High Risk of Malignancy

Imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnostic accuracy for papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent histological type of thyroid carcinoma. Although an increasing number of diagnostic methods have recently been developed, the diagnosis of a few nodules is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive prediction model to optimize the diagnosis of PTC.

METHODS

A total of 152 thyroid nodules that were evaluated by postoperative pathological examination were included in the development and validation cohorts recruited from two centres between August 2019 and February 2022. Patient data, including general information, cytopathology, imprinted gene detection, and ultrasound features, were obtained to establish a prediction model for PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with a bidirectional elimination approach was performed to identify the predictors and develop the model.

RESULTS

A comprehensive prediction model with predictors, such as component, microcalcification, imprinted gene detection, and cytopathology, was developed. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the developed model were 0.98, 97.0%, 89.5%, and 94.4%, respectively. The prediction model also showed satisfactory performance in both internal and external validations. Moreover, the novel method (imprinted gene detection) was demonstrated to play a role in improving the diagnosis of PTC.

CONCLUSION

The present study developed and validated a comprehensive prediction model for PTC, and a visualized nomogram based on the prediction model was provided for clinical application. The prediction model with imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnosis of PTCs that are undetermined by the current means.

Clinical value of dual-energy CT for predicting occult metastasis in central neck lymph nodes of papillary thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To predict the probability of occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) in the central cervical by analyzing the dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) parameters derived from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected from patients with pathologically confirmed PTC who underwent arterial and venous phases of enhanced DECT with concurrent central neck lymph node dissection (CLND). Three clinical features, three shape-related features, and twenty-six DECT-derived parameters were measured. The univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to select the relevant parameters and develop the nomogram.

RESULTS

A total 140 cases with negative diagnosis of cervical central lymph node metastases by preoperative evaluation were included, among which 88 patients with metastasis (OLNM +) and 52 patients without metastasis (OLNM -) were finally confirmed by pathology. (1) Anteroposterior/transverse diameter ratio (A/T) derived from the PTC focus had significant difference between the OLNM + and OLNM - groups (p < 0.05). (2) In the arterial phase, iodine concentration (ICarterial), normalized iodine concentration (NICarterial), effective atomic number (Zeff-arterial), electron density (EDarterial), and slope of energy curve (karterial) from PTC focus showed significant difference (all p < 0.05) between the two groups. In the venous phase, only the CT value under the 40 keV (HU40keVvenous) had differences (p < 0.05). (3) The nomogram was produced to predict the probability of OLNM, and the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity in the training and test cohort were 0.830, 75.0%, 76.9%, and 0.829, 65.9%, 84.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

DECT parameters combined with shape-related feature derived from PTC might be used as predictors of OLNM in the central neck.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

Preoperative imaging evaluation combining shape-related features and dual-energy CT parameters could serve as a reference to discern occult lymph node metastasis in central neck during the surgically planning of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

KEY POINTS

• Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients may have occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) in the central neck, which is extremely difficult to find by preoperative imaging examination. • Dual-energy CT quantitative evaluation has higher accuracy than conventional CT and can predicting OLNM in the central neck of PTC. • Dual-energy CT quantitative parameters and morphology of PTC can serve as a useful tool in predicting OLNM in the central neck, and as a guide for personalized treatment.

The diagnostic value of a new ultrasonographic method for the measurement of a taller-than-wide shape of benign and malignant thyroid nodules

PURPOSE

To evaluate the diagnostic value of a new ultrasonographic method in the measurement of thyroid nodules with a taller-than-wide (TTW) shape.

METHODS

A total of 982 thyroid nodules were analysed, 571 of which were malignant thyroid nodules and 411 of which were benign nodules. Nodules were divided into two groups by size: Group A (<1 cm, n = 627) and Group B (≥1 cm, n = 355). The angle between the maximum diameter of each nodule and the horizontal axis was measured by image analysis software. The best cut-off value for distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules and the diagnostic accuracy of the new ultrasonographic method in the measurement of TTW shapes were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

The cut-off value for distinguishing benign and malignant thyroid nodules was 44.5 degrees. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.849 (95% CI: 0.822~0.875), and the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules were 86.9% and 84.4%, respectively. Regarding the angle between the maximum diameter and the transverse axis of the thyroid nodules, an angle greater than 45 degrees was a significant indicator of a diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules. The AUC for distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid nodules with the new ultrasonographic method in the measurement of TTW shapes was higher than that with the first method (FM) in the whole group, Group A and Group B (respectively, 0.849 vs. 0.812, 0.853 vs. 0.808, 0.852 vs. 0.828). The diagnostic sensitivity of a TTW shape measured by the new ultrasonographic method for predicting thyroid malignancy was significantly higher than that measured by the FM in the whole group, Group A and Group B (respectively, 0.858 vs. 0.760, 0.764 vs. 0.669, 0.890 vs. 0.815).

CONCLUSION

A TTW shape measured by our new ultrasonographic method showed superior performance for predicting thyroid malignancy.

The value of color Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to analyze the value of color Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on using color Doppler ultrasound, thyroid nodules, thyroid tumors, and Doppler ultrasound to diagnose the thyroid nodules. The outcome indicators in the articles had to include the numbers of true positives (TP), false positives (FP), false negatives (FN), and true negatives (TN). Subsequently, the Jadad tool was adopted to evaluate the quality of the included articles, and Review Manager 5.3 software was used to conduct a meta-analysis of the experimental data.

RESULTS

A total of eight suitable articles were selected. The results showed that the estimated sensitivity and specificity of color Doppler ultrasound for the diagnostic of thyroid nodules were 0.46-0.89 and 0.00-1.00, respectively. The pooled estimate of sensitivity for the different articles was 0.71 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.46-0.89], and the pooled estimate of specificity was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.00-1.00). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve (AUC) was 0.917, which was larger than 0.9, signifying high diagnostic accuracy. This suggests that color doppler ultrasound can realize the clinical diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

DISCUSSION

In summary, the results of this study could provide a clinical data for the promotion and application of color Doppler ultrasound in the clinical diagnosis of thyroid nodules, as well as further reliable data for follow-up clinical research on the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid nodules.

Ultrasound Echogenicity of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Is Affected by Tumor Growth Patterns and Tumor Fibrosis

BACKGROUND/AIM

The association between preoperative ultrasound (US) echogenicity and histopathological characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has been rarely investigated is not well characterized. This study evaluated a relationship between the clinical characteristics of PTC, histopathological phenomena including tumor growth patterns (TGPs) and tumor fibrosis (TF), and US echogenicity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In total, 170 patients with PTC (<2 cm) underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection. Demographics, US echogenicity, tumor size, extra-thyroidal extension (ETE), lymph node metastasis (LNM) within the central and lateral neck, TGPs, and TF percentage were reviewed.

RESULTS

Patients with TGP II (encapsulated growth with partial pericapsular extension) and III (infiltrative growth) were more frequently burdened by ETE and lateral neck LNM compared to patients with TGP I (encapsulated growth with a well-defined cystic or solid characteristic). Older age was significantly deterministic of TGP III, and male gender and higher TF percentage were independent risk factors for lateral neck LNM. TGP III and TF were independent determining factors for marked hypoechogenicity on US.

CONCLUSION

PTC with TGP II and III and higher tumor fibrosis exhibited more aggressive clinicopathologic behaviors. TGP III and TF were determinants for marked hypoechogenicity.