title: Evaluation of diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound scoring system to select thyroid nodules requiring fine needle aspiration biopsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The large number of patients that require fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) to discriminate malignant from benign thyroid nodules is a practical problem especially in iodine deficient area. To obtain an ultrasound (US) score and for predicting malignant nodules and reduce the number of unnecessary and expensive FNAB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 280 thyroid nodules observed from August 2009 to August 2011 that had underwent FNAB were evaluated by US for echogenicity, peripheral halo, microcalcifications and intranodular vascularity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  showed that nodules with two ultrasonographic features (US score = 4) were characterized by a 67.9% sensitivity and a 87% specificity for prediction of malignant thyroid nodules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our data, we suggest FNAB for nodules with US score ≥ 4. The practical use of this US score may help reduce unnecessary and expensive FNAB especially in iodine-deficient areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences West Azarbaijan, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Tohid
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hajizadeh
keywords: Goiter; nodular; thyroid cancer; thyroid nodule
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