Inclusion of Thyroid Nodule Location in American College of Radiology TI-RADS Scoring: Impact on System Performance

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2021 Sep;217(3):718-719. doi: 10.2214/AJR.20.24224. Epub 2021 Jan 20.

Abstract

Emerging data suggest that the location of thyroid nodules influences malignancy risk. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of including location in American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) scoring. Four of five revised scoring algorithms that added 1 or 2 points to higher-risk locations were associated with lowered accuracy due to lower specificity. However, an algorithm that added 1 point to isthmic nodules did not differ significantly from ACR TI-RADS in accuracy; one additional isthmic cancer was diagnosed for each 10.3 additional benign nodules recommended for biopsy.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiology
  • Radiology Information Systems / statistics & numerical data*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Societies, Medical
  • Thyroid Gland / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Gland / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Thyroid Nodule / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thyroid Nodule / pathology*
  • Ultrasonography / methods*
  • United States
  • Young Adult