title: Differentiation between benign and malignant solid thyroid nodules using an US classification system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new ultrasound (US) classification system for differentiating between benign and malignant solid thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we enrolled 191 consecutive patients who received real-time US and subsequent US diagnoses for solid thyroid nodules, and underwent US-guided fine-needle aspiration. Each thyroid nodule was prospectively classified into 1 of 5 diagnostic categories by real-time US: "malignant," "suspicious for malignancy," "borderline," "probably benign," and "benign". We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid US and the cut-off US criteria by comparing the US diagnoses of thyroid nodules with cytopathologic results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 191 solid nodules, 103 were subjected to thyroid surgery. US categories for these 191 nodules were malignant (n = 52), suspicious for malignancy (n = 16), borderline (n = 23), probably benign (n = 18), and benign (n = 82). A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the US diagnosis for solid thyroid nodules using the 5-category US classification system was very good. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of US diagnosis were 86%, 95%, 91%, 92%, and 92%, respectively, when benign, probably benign, and borderline categories were collectively classified as benign (negative).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnostic accuracy of thyroid US for solid thyroid nodules is high when the above-mentioned US classification system is applied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 614-725, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Sin
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: In
authors.forename: Ji Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Hyo
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Bomi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rho
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional