The predictive value of sonographic images of follicular lesions - a comparison with nodules unequivocal in FNA - single centre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: To determine the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonographic malignancy risk features (UMRFs) in follicular lesions (FL) in a population with low risk of malignancy in FL and to compare it with a similar analysis in a group of patients with unequivocal cytology (UC): benign lesion (BL) or malignant neoplasm (MN). METHODS: Presence of UMRFs (hypoechogenicity, solid echostructure, taller-than-wide shape, pathological vascularization, irregular margins, microcalcifications and macrocalcifications) and their sets were assessed in 322 FL: 202 follicular lesions of undetermined significance (FLUS) and 120 suspicious for follicular neoplasm (SFN) and 300 nodules with UC: 200 BL and 100 MN, subsequently evaluated histopathologically. RESULTS: Cancers were confirmed in 100% nodules in MN group (89.0% of them were papillary carcinomas - PTC), in 6.4% FLUS nodules (69.2% PTC), and in 10.8% SFN nodules (30.8% PTC). In the UC group all UMRFs occurred more frequently in cancers than in benign lesions. In the FL group only calcifications were found in cancers more frequently - macro and microcalcifications together: 34.6 vs. 11.5% (p = 0.001) and isolated macrocalcifications: 26.0 vs. 6.8% (p = 0.001); the presence of those features increased the basic risk of malignancy in FL more than 2 times. The presence of at least 2 of the following URMFs: hypoechogenicity, solid echostructure, any type of calcifications and suspected shape, additionally improved sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of UMRFs in FLs is less effective than in nodules with UC, and its effectiveness decreases parallel to the decrease in percentage of PTCs among malignant neoplasms and to the increase of the percentage of adenomas among benign nodules. The presence of macrocalcifications in such FLs significantly increases the basic risk of malignancy in these nodules.

Validation of Four Thyroid Ultrasound Risk Stratification Systems in Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis; Impact of Changes in the Threshold for Nodule's Shape Criterion.

The aim of the study was to validate thyroid US malignancy features, especially the nodule's shape, and selected Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (EU-TIRADS; K-TIRADS; ACR-TIRADS, ATA guidelines) in patients with or without Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT and non-HT groups). The study included 1188 nodules (HT: 358, non-HT: 830) with known final diagnoses. We found that the strongest indications of nodule's malignancy were microcalcifications (OR: 22.7) in HT group and irregular margins (OR:13.8) in non-HT group. Solid echostructure and macrocalcifications were ineffective in patients with HT. The highest accuracy of nodule's shape criterion was noted on transverse section, with the cut-off value of anteroposterior to transverse dimension ratio (AP/T) close to 1.15 in both groups. When round nodules were regarded as suspicious in patients with HT (the cut-off value of AP/T set to ≥1), it led to a three-fold increase in sensitivity of this feature, with a disproportionally lower decrease in specificity and similar accuracy. Such a modification was effective also for cancers other than PTC. The diagnostic effectiveness of analyzed TIRADS in patients with HT and without HT was similar. Changes in the threshold for AP/T ratio influenced the number of nodules classified into the category of the highest risk, especially in the case of EU-TIRADS.

Analysis of clinical significance of equivocal thyroid cytology with a special consideration for FLUS category - five years of new classification of FNA results.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnostic category of follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS) was intended to allow selection of cases with low risk of malignancy from all smears with indeterminate, suspicious cytology (ISC), which can potentially take advantage from repeat fine-needle aspiration (rFNA). Aim of the study was a comparison of the risk of malignancy related to FLUS nodules and other nodules with ISC: suspected follicular neoplasm (SFN) and suspected malignancy (SM), as well as analysis of the usefulness of assessing ultrasonographic malignancy risk features (UMRF) in nodules with ISC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analysed UMRF, rFNA, and results of histopathological examination (H) in 441 FLUS, 135 SFN, and 72 SM nodules. RESULTS: The frequency of exposing cancer in H in FLUS nodules was 5.9%, and when cytological follow up was also included it was 2.9%. rFNAs made the diagnosis more precise in 72.7% of FLUS, and in 5.2% it was diagnosis/suspicion of cancer. The incidence of cancer in SFN nodules was 8.2%, in SM nodules with suspicion of papillary cancer - 61.1%, and in nodules with suspicion of other or unspecified malignancy - 53.8% (p < 0.0001 FLUS vs. both groups). The presence of calcifications is the only independent UMRF for nodules with ISC (OR 4.7). Features of importance are also microcalcifications (OR 3.8), especially in the SM group, and taller-than-wide-shape (OR 2.2). FLUS and SFN nodules are characterised by particularly low value of assessing suspicious margins; analysis of hypoechogenicity is of low value in SFN nodules, like suspected vascularisation in SFN and SM nodules. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of cancer in FLUS and SFN nodules is lower than in SM nodules. rFNAs of FLUS nodules make the diagnosis more precise in more than 70% of cases and are effective in revealing cancers. UMRFs present variable diagnostic value depending on the subcategory of ISC.

Secondary tumours revealed during fine needle aspiration of the thyroid--analysis of prevalence and characteristics of ultrasound image.

INTRODUCTION: Metastases to the thyroid are revealed at autopsy with a frequency of 2-24%; however, clinically they appear less frequently, at 0.1-3%. The aim of the study was analysis of the frequency of revealing metastases to the thyroid (TM) and to the regional lymph nodes (NM) (neoplasms other than primary thyroid tumours) in preoperative diagnostics of the thyroid in patients with positive (C+) and negative (C-) history of cancer; analysis of ultrasound (US) images of metastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Results of US/fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid in 1276 C+ patients and 18,947 C- patients. RESULTS: TM and NM were diagnosed/suspected in 57 patients (0.3% of all examined; 40 TM, 22 NM, 5 both), and their frequency was higher in the C+ group (2.9% vs. 0.1% in C-, p < 0.0001). In the C+ group, diagnosis of metastasis accounted for 72.3% of FNA results from the category "malignant neoplasm"; in the C- group it was 9.5% (p < 0.0001). The highest relative frequency of TM was found for cancers infiltrating thyroid by direct extension (> 10%), lymphomas (7.7%), and kidney (5.3%) and lung (4.9%) cancers. The mean age of patients with metastasis (63.9 ± 11.7 years) was similar to that of the C+ group and higher than the C- group (53.9 ± 14.8 years, p < 0.0001). The proportion of males among the patients with metastasis was three-fold higher than in the patients without metastasis (p < 0.0001). TM lesions presented suspicious borders in US twice as often as primary cancers . CONCLUSIONS: Metastases to the thyroid are rare; however, for patients with a history of cancer, their presence is more likely than primary thyroid cancer. US/FNA imaging of metastases allows the selection of patients requiring further diagnostics and treatment.

New classification of thyroid FNAB results - a three-year observation from one clinic.

INTRODUCTION: Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the main examination in diagnostics of thyroid nodules. Yet, it does not allow the differentiation of follicular lesions (FL). A new classification of thyroid biopsy results (newC) might improve pre-operative diagnostics mainly due to the introduction of a new subcategory of 'follicular lesion of undetermined significance', as well as the clarification of definitions of other categories. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the newC on the distribution of the cytological results among main diagnostic categories and on the values of the parameters describing the effectiveness of FNAB in detecting malignancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 34,371 FNABs outcomes and 3,557 results of surgical follow up were analysed. The frequencies of five main diagnostic categories in two periods: before (years: 2000-2009, 24,271 FNAB) and after the newC had been introduced (years: 2010-2012, 10,100 FNAB) were compared, as well as parameters describing the biopsy effectiveness, with a special focus on FL. RESULTS: In the second analysed period, the frequency of the 'suspicious for malignancy' results was three times lower, while diagnoses of 'malignant neoplasm' were 33% more frequent and the results corresponding to FL decreased by 10%. In respect to FL, specificity of FNAB increased (22.6% vs. 57.4%), but sensitivity decreased (78.8% vs. 50.0%). In respect to other diagnostic categories considered jointly, the sensitivity of FNAB (61.2% vs. 85.7%) and PPV (57.4% vs. 77.8%) increased, and the specificity was similar (95-97%) for both periods. NPV exceeded 95% irrespective of applied classification. CONCLUSIONS: Separation of FL with low risk of malignancy affects the values of the parameters describing the effectiveness of FNAB. The improved diagnostic effectiveness of FNAB is also a consequence of epidemiological changes and better selection of thyroid lesions for biopsy.

Repeat FNA Significantly Lowers Number of False Negative Results in Patients with Benign Nodular Thyroid Disease and Features of Chronic Thyroiditis.

Purpose. The aim of the study was to compare the risk of thyroid malignancy and efficacy of repeat FNA in patients with thyroid nodules diagnosed cytologically as benign lesion (BL) with features of chronic thyroiditis (BL-CT) and BL without CT features (BL-nCT). Methods. The analysis included 917 patients with BL-CT and 7046 with BL-nCT in the first FNA. Repeat biopsy was carried out in 787 patients of BL-CT and 5147 of BL-nCT; 218 patients of BL-CT and 2462 of BL-nCT were operated; in 88 cases of BL-CT and 563 of BL-nCT both ways of follow-up were available. Results. Outcome of repeat cytology implied surgery more frequently in patients with BL-CT than with BL-nCT-3.2% versus 1.9%, P < 0.05. Incidence of cancer (including incidentalomas) was higher in patients with BL-CT operated after one benign cytology than in patients with two benign FNA outcomes: 10.8% versus 1.6%, P < 0.05. In patients with BL-nCT that difference was not significant: 3.2% versus 2.6%. Conclusions. Patients with thyroid nodules diagnosed as BL with CT features have higher risk of malignancy than patients with BL without CT features. Repeat biopsy significantly lowers percentage of FN results in patients with BL-CT in the first FNA.