ABSTRACT

In our study, thyroid nodules dimension, internal structure and contour properties, vascularization, whether the nodules contain calcification or not, and if nodules contain calcification their types are evaluated through the combination of ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration biopsy results to gather data in order to assist in the differentiation of benign and malign nodules, and to determine the optimum nodule to conduct fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

In our study, we have evaluated the fine-needle aspiration biopsy results of 91 nodules that belong to the total of 91 patients (82 female (90.1%) and 9 male (9.9%)). The biopsies, sent to our clinic from variety of clinics between September 30, 2013 and September 09, 2014, have been collected by fine-needle aspiration technique accompanied with ultrasonography. Our evaluation carried retrospectively was based on patients age, gender, together with patients’ individual biopsy reports and ultrasonography images.

We have found that the age and gender are not enough to determine whether the result is malignant. In overall study (men and women together), the sonographic parameters dimension, contour, internal structure, echogenicity and calcification are included in multiple variable analyses. The result of the analysis has indicated that the contour of a nodule itself is the most important parameter to determine the malignancy-suspicious for malignancy. This feature has high percentage (98.7%) of diagnostic property; they can not be used as only criteria due to the low sensitivity (53%).

We have found that none of the sonographic parameters can be alone used to determine cancer, in order to determine the cancer risks of nodules there is a need for classification systems (e.g. TI-RADS) based on well established detailed work considering several sonographic parameters.