title: Role of ultrasound in the management of thyroid nodules.
abstract: One hundred twenty patients undergoing thyroid surgery for thyroid nodules or goiter were examined by preoperative ultrasound and fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. In the determination of whether a lesion was malignant, FNA had sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of 86%, 85%, and 58%, respectively. Ultrasound had sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of 74%, 83%, and 51%, respectively. The different types of thyroid pathology showed different ultrasonic features in most cases, although no single feature was pathognomonic. Malignant lesions tended to be solid and hypoechoic without a halo, but there was a cystic element in 26% of the lesions and calcification in 37%. Ultrasound was superior to FNA in diagnosing nodular goiter with sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of 70%, 93%, and 92%, respectively, compared with 55%, 86%, and 83%, respectively. The two modalities are complementary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Watters
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chick
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metreweli
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography