Comparative study on sonographic features of clinical lymph node negative papillary thyroid microcarcinoma and non-microcarcinoma / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the sonographic features of clinical lymph node negative (cN 0) stage papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and non-PTMC, and improve the early diagnosis of cN 0 stage PTMC. Methods:The clinical data of 223 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma from January 2015 to December 2017 in Dalian Municipal Center Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative ultrasonography of all patients showed lymph node negative, and all patients received radical thyroidectomy. Among them, PTMC was in 143 cases (tumor diameter ≤1 cm, PTMC group), and non-PTMC in 80 cases (tumor diameter >1 cm, non-PTMC group). The sonographic features, including echogenicity, boundary, morphology, calcification, posterior echo attenuation, blood flow and ratio of length and width were compared between 2 groups.Results:There were no significant differences in the incidences of unclear boundary, irregular shape and posterior echo attenuation between the two groups ( P>0.05). The incidences of extremely low or low echo and ratio of length and width ≥1 in PTMC group were significantly higher than those in non-PTMC group 88.1% (126/143) vs. 67.5% (54/80) and 37.8% (54/143) vs. 7.5% (6/80), the incidences rate of calcification and peripheral or internal blood flow were significantly lower than those in the non-PTMC group 55.9% (80/143) vs. 72.5% (58/80) and 49.0% (70/143) vs. 77.5% (62/80), and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). Conclusions:The ultrasonographic features of cN 0 stage PTMC and non-PTMC are different.