title: Ultrasonographic features of thyroid nodules accompanied by Hashimoto thyroiditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the ultrasound imaging characteristics of benign and malignant thyroid nodules on the background of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 120 consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed benign (n=60) or malignant (n=60) thyroid nodules in Peking Union Medical College Hospital since January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed, and their preoperative ultrasound images were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty cases (100%) of the malignant nodules were papillary thyroid cancers. In the benign group, 33 cases (55.0%) had nodular changes of HT, 26 (43.3%) had nodular goiter, and one (16.7%) had adenoma. Compared with the benign ones,the malignant nodules were more likely to be solid (91.7% vs. 68.3%, P=0.001), hypoechoic (96.7% vs. 48.3%, P=0.000), ill defined (95.0% vs. 41.7%, P=0.000), irregular (96.7% vs. 43.4%, P=0.000), and more easily to have such characteristics as micro-calcification (71.7% vs. 30.0%, P=0.000), absence of regular halo (96.7% vs. 65.0%, P=0.000), taller-than-wide sign (46.7% vs. 13.3%, P=0.000), and locally increased or irregular blood flow (61.7% vs. 26.7%, P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound has an ideal overall sensitivity in differentiating nodules on the background of HT. Solid structure, hypo-echogenicity, ill-defined margin, irregular shape, and absence of regular halo are good screening ultrasound markers. Except for the A/T≥1, the other variables have less satisfactory diagnostic specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Yu-xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Rui-na
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Wen-bo
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound,PUMC Hospital,CAMS and PUMC,Beijing 100730,China.
authors.forename: Xing-jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography