The role of neck ultrasonography in thyroid cancer

Lin, Jia-Hau; Chiang, Feng-Yu; Lee, Ka-Wo; Ho, Kuen-Yao; Kuo, Wen-Rei

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.07.003

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 5 , Pages 324-326, September 2009

The role of neck ultrasonography in thyroid cancer☆☆☆

Jia-Hau Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Feng-Yu Chiang
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Ka-Wo Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Kuen-Yao Ho
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wen-Rei Kuo
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No.100, Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 7 3121101 – 5009; fax: +886 7 3208264.

Received 19 November 2007 published online 09 March 2009.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnosis accuracy rate of neck ultrasonography (US) characteristics in thyroid cancer.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study of patients who underwent thyroid surgery for palpable thyroid nodules at the department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.

Results

Between January 1993 and December 2006, 378 patients with palpable thyroid nodules underwent thyroid total lobectomy or total thyroidectomy. Preoperation evaluations included neck US, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (USGFNA) and technetium-99m scintigraphy. Postoperative histopathology revealed 297 are benign and 81 are malignant. Comparing preoperative surveys with postoperative histopathology, the outcome analyses included the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. The sensitivity of US, USGFNA, and technetium-99m scintigraphy were, respectively, 51.9%, 75.0%, and 73.8%; the specificity were, respectively, 93.9%, 94.6%, and 25.3%; the accuracy rate were, respectively, 86.8%, 90.8%, and 35.0%; positive predictive value were, respectively, 63.6%, 76.9%, and 19.8%; negative predictive value were, respectively, 90.5%, 94.1%, and 79.5%.

Conclusions

The neck US is a useful method in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, and the US characteristics can be used to distinguish the risk of malignant thyroid nodules. We recommend neck US in all patients with thyroid nodules, and if any malignant characteristics were noted, USGFNA can be arranged.