Assessment of diagnostic capacity and decision-making based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association ultrasound classification system.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the American Thyroid Association (ATA) ultrasound (US) classification system for the initial assessment of thyroid nodules to determine if it indeed facilitates clinical decision-making. AIM: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic value of the ATA US classification system for the initial assessment of thyroid nodules. METHODS: In accordance with the PRISMA statement for diagnostic test accuracy, we selected articles that evaluated the 2015 ATA US pattern guidelines using a diagnostic gold standard. We analyzed these cases using traditional diagnostic parameters, as well as the threshold approach to clinical decision-making and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: We reviewed 13 articles with 8445 thyroid nodules, which were classified according to 2015 ATA patterns. Of these, 46.62% were malignant. No cancer was found in any of the ATA benign pattern nodules. The Bayesian analysis post-test probability for cancer in each classification was: (1) Very-low suspicion, 0.85%; (2) Low, 2.6%; (3) Intermediate, 6.7%; and (4) High, 40.9%. The net benefit (NB), expressed as avoided interventions, indicated that the highest capacity to avoid unnecessary fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the patterns that we studied was 42, 31, 35, and 43 of every 100 FNABs. The NB calculation for a probability threshold of 11% for each of the ATA suspicion patterns studied is less than that of performing FNAB on all nodules. CONCLUSION: These three types of analysis have shown that only the ATA high-suspicion diagnostic pattern is clinically useful, in which case, FNAB should be performed. However, the curve decision analysis has demonstrated that using the ATA US risk patterns to decide which patients need FNAB does not provide a greater benefit than performing FNAB on all thyroid nodules. Therefore, it is likely that a better way to approach the assessment of thyroid nodules would be to perform FNAB on all non-cystic nodules, as the present analysis has shown the ATA risk patterns do not provide an adequate clinical decision-making framework.

TSH alone is not sufficient to exclude all patients with a functioning thyroid nodule from undergoing testing to exclude thyroid cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to analyze whether the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) alone avoids tests to exclude malignancy in all patients with functional thyroid nodules (FTN). METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with FTN on (99m)Tc scintigraphy, radioiodine uptake test (RIU), (99m)Tc thyroid uptake, TSH assay, T3, and T4 obtained within 48 h were retrospectively identified out of 2,356 thyroid scans performed from January 2000 to April 2007. FTNs were classified as causing total, partial, or no inhibition of the thyroid as group 1, 2, or 3, respectively. RESULTS: TSH was subnormal in 21 of 69 (30.43%) patients. In group 1 (N = 23, 33.3%), TSH was subnormal, normal, and high in eight, nine, and six patients; in group 2 (N = 17, 24.6%), TSH was subnormal, normal, and high in four, six, and seven patients, and in group 3 (N = 29, 42%), TSH was subnormal, normal, and high in 9, 13, and 7 patients, respectively. TSH was significantly lower in group 1. In T3, T4, (99m)Tc thyroid uptake, and RIU, there were no differences between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Only 30.43% of patients had subnormal TSH. TSH alone cannot avoid tests to exclude malignancy in all patients with FTN. FTN existence can only be accurately assessed by thyroid scintigraphy. The current incidence of FTN may be unknown because scintigraphy is not routinely performed in all patients with thyroid nodules. Thyroid scintigraphy of patients with high TSH can detect diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and identify patients with FTN in whom no further diagnostic procedures would be needed in patients with normal TSH levels with nondiagnostic fine-needle aspiration results.

[Dyspareunia after total abdominal hysterectomy. Anatomical relation]. / Dispareunia post-histerectomía total abdominal. Relación anatómica.

BACKGROUND: We undertook this study to determine whether anatomic changes after total abdominal hysterectomy are a cause of dyspareunia in premenopausal women. METHODS: This is a comparative, prospective and longitudinal study in 50 premenopausal women with benign uterine disease without dyspareunia treated with total abdominal hysterectomy. Primary variable was presence of postsurgical dyspareunia. Secondary variables are presurgical and assessment 3 months after surgery of left, right, anterior and posterior vaginal longitude (VLL, VRL, VAL and VPL, respectively) expressed in centimeters, as well as of the vaginal volume (VV). Statistical analysis for mean, central tendency and t-test. Group 1 (G1) is comprised of patients with postsurgical dyspareunia and Group 2 (G2) is comprised of patients without dyspareunia. RESULTS: In G1, three patients (mean age: 42 years) had dyspareunia, pre- and postsurgical mean values were VV 146.6 and 100, VLL 8 and 7.3, VPL 9.16 and 7.3, VLL 8 and 7.3, VRL 8 and 7.3. In G2, 47 patients (mean age: 40.36 years) were without dyspareunia, pre- and postsurgical values were VV 150.6 and 121.57, VLL 8.81 and 8.12, VPL 9.7 and 8.69, VLL 9.24 and 8.3, VRL 9.28 and 8.33. We did not find significant differences between the groups. Two of the three patients with dyspareunia had a vaginal granuloma, but the third case did not show an anatomical cause. CONCLUSIONS: There is no relationship between total abdominal hysterectomy in premenopausal women and anatomical vaginal changes after surgery as assessed by vaginal volume and longitude. Presence of vaginal granuloma was responsible for dyspareunia in 4% of cases. Dyspareunia was found in 2% of premenopausal women without posthysterectomy anatomical cause.

Dispareunia post-histerectomía total abdominal: relación anatómica / Dyspareunia after total abdominal hysterectomy: anatomical relation

Objetivo: conocer si los cambios anatómicos poshisterectomía total abdominal producen dispareunia en pacientes premenopáusicas. Material y métodos: estudio comparativo, prospectivo, longitudinal, de 50 pacientes premenopáusicas sometidas a histerectomía total abdominal por enfermedad uterina benigna sin dispareunia prequirúrgica. Se realizaron valoraciones pre y posperatorias del volumen vaginal y de las longitudes vaginales izquierda, derecha, anterior y posterior. El análisis estadístico se llevó a cabo por medidas de tendencia central y prueba t, agrupando a las pacientes en dos grupos: con dispareunia posoperatoria (grupo I) y sin dispareunia posoperatoria (grupo II). Resultados: grupo I, tres pacientes con los siguientes valores preoperatorios y posoperatorios: volumen vaginal de 146.6 y 100 cm3, longitud vaginal anterior de 8 y 7.3 cm, posterior de 9.16 y 7.3 cm, izquierda de 8 y 7.3 cm, y derecha de 8 y 7.3 cm. Grupo II, 47 pacientes con los siguientes valores preoperatorios y posoperatorios: volumen vaginal de 150.6 y 121.6 cm3, longitud vaginal anterior de 8.81 y 8.12 cm, posterior de 9.7 y 8.69 cm, izquierda de 9.24 y 8.3 cm, y derecha de 9.28 y 8.33 cm. Entre los grupos no encontramos diferencias estadísticamente significativas en volumen ni longitudes vaginales. En dos casos con dispareunia se encontró granuloma en cúpula vaginal que remitió con la resección; en otro no hubo implicación anatómica Conclusiones: no existió relación entre la dispareunia y los cambios de volumen y longitudes vaginales poshisterectomía. El granuloma en la cúpula vaginal fue responsable de 4 % de dispareunia. La dispareunia poshisterectomía total abdominal en paciente premenopáusicas sin causa anatómica aparente se presentó en 2 %.

BACKGROUND: We undertook this study to determine whether anatomic changes after total abdominal hysterectomy are a cause of dyspareunia in premenopausal women. METHODS: This is a comparative, prospective and longitudinal study in 50 premenopausal women with benign uterine disease without dyspareunia treated with total abdominal hysterectomy. Primary variable was presence of postsurgical dyspareunia. Secondary variables are presurgical and assessment 3 months after surgery of left, right, anterior and posterior vaginal longitude (VLL, VRL, VAL and VPL, respectively) expressed in centimeters, as well as of the vaginal volume (VV). Statistical analysis for mean, central tendency and t-test. Group 1 (G1) is comprised of patients with postsurgical dyspareunia and Group 2 (G2) is comprised of patients without dyspareunia. RESULTS: In G1, three patients (mean age: 42 years) had dyspareunia, pre- and postsurgical mean values were VV 146.6 and 100, VLL 8 and 7.3, VPL 9.16 and 7.3, VLL 8 and 7.3, VRL 8 and 7.3. In G2, 47 patients (mean age: 40.36 years) were without dyspareunia, pre- and postsurgical values were VV 150.6 and 121.57, VLL 8.81 and 8.12, VPL 9.7 and 8.69, VLL 9.24 and 8.3, VRL 9.28 and 8.33. We did not find significant differences between the groups. Two of the three patients with dyspareunia had a vaginal granuloma, but the third case did not show an anatomical cause. CONCLUSIONS: There is no relationship between total abdominal hysterectomy in premenopausal women and anatomical vaginal changes after surgery as assessed by vaginal volume and longitude. Presence of vaginal granuloma was responsible for dyspareunia in 4% of cases. Dyspareunia was found in 2% of premenopausal women without posthysterectomy anatomical cause.

Comportamiento clínico del cáncer papilar de tiroides durante el embarazo: momento óptimo para su tratamiento / Papilary thyroid cancer with pregnancy and the optimal time to treatment

Objetivo: analizar el comportamiento clínico y evolución del cáncer papilar de tiroides y embarazo en población mexicana, así como determinar el momento óptimo de su tratamiento. Material y método: estudio de cohorte analítico, en dos grupos: uno (G1) de seis pacientes con cáncer papilar de tiroides y embarazo, otro (G2) de 24 pacientes con cáncer papilar de tiroides no embarazadas y con el mismo rango de edad, estadificación pronóstica de AMES. MACIS, tratamiento y tiempo de seguimiento. Las variables estudiadas fueron estadio inicial, tiempo de evolución, frecuencia de recidiva local, regional, a distancia y mortalidad. El análisis se realizó por medio de estadística descriptiva e inferencial, X2 y prueba t. Resultados: ambos grupos no tuvieron diferencia estadística entre edad, clasificación clínico/pronósticas, recurrencia local, regional o a distancia así como supervivencia con un seguimiento promedio de 83 (33 a 240) y 88 (12 a 288) meses en promedio para G1 y G2. Sólo se encontró diferencia en la presentación clínica con 100 por ciento del G1 metástasis regionales vs. 12.5 por ciento del G2 al diagnóstico que no impactaron en la evolución final. Conclusión: una embarazada con cáncer papilar de tiroides podrá esperar al término natural del embarazo y posteriormente realizar el tratamiento adecuado del cáncer.