Scattered psammomatous calcifications around papillary thyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Although psammomatous calcification is a characteristic pathologic feature of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the clinical meaning of histologically determined scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC is unknown.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC.


METHODS
Between January 2009 and July 2009, a total of 546 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC were enrolled. They were classified into two groups: patients with scattered psammomatous calcifications and patients without psammomatous calcifications. The clinical findings, preoperative diagnostic findings, and histopathologic features were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
Scattered psammomatous calcifications around PTC were found in 209 patients (38 %), and mostly in younger patients (p = 0.007), those with infiltrative tumor margin (p = 0.022), those with capsule invasion (p = 0.013), and those with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001). No statistical significance was found in gender, tumor size, multiplicity, and coexisting lymphocytic thyroiditis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although further studies with large-scale, long-term follow-up will be necessary to validate the relationship between scattered psammomatous calcifications and prognosis, scattered psammomatous calcification around PTC may have correlations with the aggressiveness of the PTC.
Thyroid Cancer Center, Departments of Surgery, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonjuro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-720, Korea, medilys@yuhs.ac.
Yong Sang
YS
Lee
Soon Won
SW
Hong
Hang-Seok
HS
Chang
Cheong Soo
CS
Park
D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy