title: Tumor size measured by preoperative ultrasonography and postoperative pathologic examination in papillary thyroid carcinoma: relative differences according to size, calcification and coexisting thyroiditis.
abstract: Ultrasonography (US) is a useful diagnostic modality for evaluation of the size and features of thyroid nodules. Tumor size is a key indicator of the surgical extent of thyroid cancer. We evaluated the difference in tumor sizes measured by preoperative US and postoperative pathologic examination in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We reviewed the medical records of 172 consecutive patients, who underwent thyroidectomy for PTC treatment. We compared tumor size, as measured by preoperative US, with that in postoperative specimens. And we analyzed a number of factors potentially influencing the size measurement, including cancer size, calcification and coexisting thyroiditis. The mean size of the tumor measured by preoperative US was 11.4, and 10.2 mm by postoperative pathologic examination. The mean percentage difference (US-pathology/US) of tumor sizes measured by preoperative US and postoperative pathologic examination was 9.9 ± 19.3%, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). When the effect of tumor size (≤10.0 vs. 10.1-20.0 vs. >20.0 mm) and the presence of calcification or coexisting thyroiditis on the tumor size discrepancy between the two measurements was analyzed, the mean percentage differences according to tumor size (9.1 vs. 11.2% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.842), calcification (9.2 vs. 10.2%, p = 0.756) and coexisting thyroiditis (17.6 vs. 9.5%, p = 0.223) did not show statistical significance. Tumor sizes measured in postoperative pathology were ~90% of those measured by preoperative US in PTC; this was not affected by tumor size, the presence of calcification or coexisting thyroiditis. When the surgical extent of PTC treatment according to tumor size measured by US is determined, the relative difference between tumor sizes measured by preoperative US and postoperative pathologic examination should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Research Institute, Research Institute for Medical Sciences, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 640 Daesa-Dong, Chung-Gu, Daejeon, 301-721, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Ki Ryun
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Seo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Kyeung A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Bobae
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Man
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Bon Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Koo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000502:physiology*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055815:Young Adult