Calcification in Thyroid Nodule and Thyroid Cancer

Kim, Won Bae

Abstract

Calcifications of thyroid nodules are often found in sonography reports and can be detected in both benign and malignant nodules. Although it is well known that micro-calcifications are associated with thyroid malignancy, especially in papillary thyroid carcinomas, the results for macro-calcifications are controversial. Yoon et al. evaluated the role of presence of macro-calcification in thyroid nodules for predicting malignancy by retrospectively analyzing FNAC data and sonographic findings in one institution, and showed that macro-calcification is also significantly associated with thyroid malignancy. Coarse calcifications were more commonly found in malignant nodules than in benign nodules, however, rim calcification was not associated with malignancy. We should carefully evaluate thyroid nodule(s) with calcification regardless of the pattern of calcification, and it would be mandatory to evaluate the clinical significance of rim calcification by prospective analysis.