Korean J Endocr Surg.  2013 Sep;13(3):144-150. 10.0000/kjes.2013.13.3.144.

The Utility of Clinical Findings Including Serum TSH and Neck Ultrasonography for Predicting Thyroid Malignancy in Atypia of Undetermined Significance/Follicular Lesions of Undetermined Significance

• Oh EM
• Chung YS
• Song WJ
• Kim YS
• Lee YD

• KMID: 2375423
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kjes.2013.13.3.144

Abstract

PURPOSE
Neck ultrasonography (NUS) is one of the most commonly used methods for evaluating thyroid nodules and preoperative higher TSH levels are known to be associated with differentiated thyroid cancers. This study was conducted to assess whether serum TSH levels and neck ultrasonography are of value in predicting malignancy in patients with atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesions of undetermined significance (AUS).
METHODS
A total of 62 patients (7 men, 55 women; mean age 48.4±11.9 years) who had indeterminate cytologic results indicating AUS underwent thyroidectomy. Preoperative clinical data including serum TSH and the findings of NUS were analyzed retrospectively between malignant and non-malignant groups.
RESULTS
The final pathologic results of malignancy were reported in 53 of 62 (85.5%) patients with AUS. There was no significant difference in the mean value of preoperative serum TSH between malignant and non-malignant groups (1.5±1.3 vs. 1.9±1.2, P=NS). In NUS, the patients diagnosed with malignancy in histology showed a higher proportion of calcification, taller-than-wide shape, hypoechoic texture and irregular margin (58.5% vs. 22.2%, P=0.044; 34% vs. 0%, P=0.038; 98.1% vs. 44.4%, P<0.01; 47.2% vs. 0%, P=0.008).
CONCLUSION
Serum TSH was not related to malignancy in thyroid nodules showing AUS. However, ultrasonographic features including calcifications, taller-than-wide shape, hypoechoic pattern and irregular margin could be used to predict malignancy. Ultrasonography should be the first useful methods when making decisions regarding management of thyroid nodules showing indeterminate cytologic results as AUS.

Keyword

Atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance; Neck ultrasonography; TSH

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Male
Neck*
Retrospective Studies
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroid Nodule
Thyroidectomy
Ultrasonography*