Rendimiento diagnóstico del sistema de evaluación de riesgo ecográfico del nódulo tiroideo de la American Thyroid Association en endocrinología (estudio ETIEN 3) / Diagnostic performance of the American Thyroid Association ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules in endocrinology (the ETIEN 3 study)

Introducción: Hasta la actualidad no se ha publicado en nuestro país ningún estudio sobre la utilidad del sistema de evaluación del riesgo ecográfico del nódulo tiroideo de la American Thyroid Association (ATA) aplicada por endocrinólogos. Objetivos: Evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la clasificación ATA del nódulo tiroideo aplicada por endocrinólogos respecto a los resultados histológicos. Metodología: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de 317 pacientes (51,7 ± 13,7 años de edad media; 83,3% mujeres) con nódulos tiroideos (diámetro máximo: 3,2 ± 1,4 cm) evaluados en consulta de eco-PAAF de endocrinología entre octubre de 2015 y diciembre de 2018, a los cuales se les aplicó la clasificación ATA y que fueron intervenidos. Se evalúan los criterios de calidad de la clasificación ecográfica prequirúrgica respecto a los resultados histológicos. Resultados: El 61,2% de los nódulos evaluados fueron clasificados como benignos (n = 3), de muy baja (n = 60) o de baja sospecha (n = 131), el 11,7% como sospecha intermedia (n = 37) y el 27,1% como alta sospecha (n = 86). Se detectaron 260 casos de enfermedad nodular benigna y 57 cánceres de tiroides. Hubo 14 microcarcinomas papilares incidentales. La clasificación de nódulos de alta sospecha presentó un elevado rendimiento diagnóstico para identificar nódulos malignos (sensibilidad 87,7%, especificidad 86,2% y valor predictivo negativo 97,0%), mejorando la sensibilidad (93,0%) y reduciéndose la especificidad (73,1%) al considerar de riesgo los nódulos de sospecha alta e intermedia. Conclusiones: La aplicación por endocrinólogos del sistema de evaluación de riesgo ecográfico del nódulo tiroideo de la ATA presenta un elevado rendimiento diagnóstico para identificar prequirúrgicamente nódulos tiroideos malignos

Introduction: No study has been published to date in Spain about the value of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules applied by endocrinologists. Objectives: To assess the diagnostic performance of ATA thyroid nodule risk classification applied by endocrinologists with respect to histological results. Methods: A retrospective, observational study of 317 patients (mean age, 51.7 ± 13.7 years; 83.3% women) with thyroid nodules (maximum diameter: 3.2 ± 1.4 cm) who underwent US-guided FNA in endocrinology between October 2015 and December 2018, were classified based on the ATA ultrasound risk assessment. Surgery was performed in all of them. Quality criteria of the ultrasound classification were assessed as compared to histological results. Results: Overall, 61.2% of nodules assessed were classified as benign (n = 3) and very low (n = 60) or low suspicion (n = 131), 11.7% as intermediate suspicion (n = 37), and 27.1% as high suspicion (n = 86). Benign nodular disease was found in 260 patients, and thyroid cancer in 57 patients. There were 14 incidental papillary microcarcinomas. Classification of thyroid nodules as high suspicion showed a high diagnostic performance to identify malignant nodules (87.7% sensitivity, 86.2% specificity, negative predictive value 97.0%), improving sensitivity (93.0%) and reducing specificity (73.1%) when considering high and intermediate suspicion nodules as a risk for thyroid cancer. Conclusions: Application by endocrinologists of the ATA ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules shows a high diagnostic performance to identify malignant thyroid nodules before surgery

Diagnostic performance of the American Thyroid Association ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules in endocrinology (the ETIEN 3 study). / Rendimiento diagnóstico del sistema de evaluación de riesgo ecográfico del nódulo tiroideo de la American Thyroid Association en endocrinología (estudio ETIEN 3).

INTRODUCTION: No study has been published to date in Spain about the value of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules applied by endocrinologists. OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic performance of ATA thyroid nodule risk classification applied by endocrinologists with respect to histological results. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study of 317 patients (mean age, 51.7±13.7 years; 83.3% women) with thyroid nodules (maximum diameter: 3.2±1.4cm) who underwent US-guided FNA in endocrinology between October 2015 and December 2018, were classified based on the ATA ultrasound risk assessment. Surgery was performed in all of them. Quality criteria of the ultrasound classification were assessed as compared to histological results. RESULTS: Overall, 61.2% of nodules assessed were classified as benign (n=3) and very low (n=60) or low suspicion (n=131), 11.7% as intermediate suspicion (n=37), and 27.1% as high suspicion (n=86). Benign nodular disease was found in 260 patients, and thyroid cancer in 57 patients. There were 14 incidental papillary microcarcinomas. Classification of thyroid nodules as high suspicion showed a high diagnostic performance to identify malignant nodules (87.7% sensitivity, 86.2% specificity, negative predictive value 97.0%), improving sensitivity (93.0%) and reducing specificity (73.1%) when considering high and intermediate suspicion nodules as a risk for thyroid cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Application by endocrinologists of the ATA ultrasound risk assessment of thyroid nodules shows a high diagnostic performance to identify malignant thyroid nodules before surgery.