title: Completeness of ultrasound reporting impacts time to biopsy for benign and malignant thyroid nodules.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective was to evaluate reporting of guideline-recommended elements for thyroid ultrasound (US), and to determine whether element reporting was associated with the time to cytological and/or surgical diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  US reports of adults who underwent thyroid surgery for benign (n = 106) or malignant (n = 105) thyroid nodules between 2009 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed for inclusion of 11 elements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average 5.1 elements of 11 (46.4%) were included in US reports of all nodules. The setting of the US (academic versus community center) also influenced the number of elements reported (6.3 in academic versus 4.9 in community, p < 0.001). A higher number of reported elements were significantly associated with fewer days between US and FNAB, FNAB and OR, and US and OR (p < 0.001, p = 0.007, and p < 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Under-reporting of guideline-recommended US elements is associated with delayed cytological diagnosis and surgical treatment of thyroid nodules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: alexandra.inman@medportal.ca.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: kliu@providencehealth.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Kaidi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: ong.kaye@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: ptiwari414@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pari
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: pmvos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: aswhite@mail.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Paul's Hospital & University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: smwiseman@providencehealth.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Sam M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wiseman
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001955:British Columbia; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Reporting; Surgical wait time; Thyroid; Ultrasound