title: Sonographic features and ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration of metastases to the thyroid gland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the characteristic ultrasonographic (US) features of metastatic carcinoma to the thyroid, and how accurate US features and ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) are for the diagnosis of thyroid metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three thyroid lesions in 23 patients (mean age, 66.7 years; range, 46 to 85 years) that had been diagnosed as thyroid metastases were included. The composition, echogenicity, margin, shape, presence of calcifications, underlying parenchymal echotexture, and vascularity were analyzed in US images of the thyroid metastases. Final US assessments were categorized into probably benign and suspicious malignancy. The presence of suspicious metastatic cervical lymph nodes was noted. The medical records, US-FNA cytology, and pathology reports of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 23 thyroid lesions, the general US appearance was mass-forming in 21 (91.3%) and non-mass-forming in 2 (8.7%). All 23 lesions showed a solid tumor composition. Common US features among the 21 mass-forming thyroid metastases were hypoechogenicity (81.0%), non-circumscribed margins (90.5%), no calcifications (76.2%), and parallel shape (81.0%). Suspicious cervical lymph nodes were present in 18 patients (78.3%). Of the 23 lesions, 21 (91.3%) were classified as suspicious malignancy, and 2 (8.7%) as probably benign. US-FNA showed diagnostic results specific for metastases in 21 of the 22 patients (95.5%) who had undergone US-FNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Common US features in thyroid metastasis were hypoechogenicity, non-circumscribed margins, no calcifications, parallel shape, and the presence of suspicious cervical lymph nodes. US-FNA can be effectively used in the diagnosis of thyroid metastasis, preventing unnecessary surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Hyun
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2100-3513
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Kyung
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3368-5013
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6212-1495
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5643-5885
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ga Ram
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6391-5388
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Biopsy, fine needle; Neoplasm metastasis; Thyroid gland; Ultrasonography