title: Sonographic findings of the diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this series was to describe the sonographic findings of the diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary carcinoma (DSVPC) of the thyroid.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sonographic findings of 8 patients with DSVPC of the thyroid were retrospectively analyzed. The following sonographic features of DSVPC of the thyroid were analyzed: extent of disease, echogenicity, microcalcifications, and cervical metastatic lymphatic nodes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three of 8 cases were unilateral, and 5 were bilateral. All 8 cases showed diffuse involvement of at least 1 entire thyroid lobe. Five of 8 cases showed hyperechogenicity, and 3 showed hypoechogenicity. Seven of 8 cases showed diffuse scattered microcalcifications, and 1 showed locally distributed microcalcifications. All 8 cases showed cervical metastatic lymph nodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sonographic findings of DSVPC of the thyroid are characteristic, and sonography is a useful imaging tool in diagnosis of DSVPC of the thyroid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. zhangyh_66@yahoo.cm.cn
authors.forename: Yuhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Daozi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Guangsen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenhua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult