Table 4 Representative literature on sonographic prediction of thyroid cancer prognosis
Author | Year | Number of cases and histologic subtype | Size range | Prognostic measure | Sonographic parameters studied | Selected results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cappelli et al. [53] | 2007 | 484 PTC | <1.0 cm to > 4.0 cm | Recurrence of disease or death due to thyroidcancer | Blurred margins, presence of calcifications, intranodular vascularity, hypoechogenicity, multifocality, extracapsular growth | Among investigated sonographic parameters, only intranodular flow associated with unfavorable outcome |
Du et al. [34] | 2015 | 177 PTC 3 follicular 6 medullary | N/A | LN mets | Size, peak systolic velocity, pulsatility index, resistive index, multifocality, bilateral vs. unilateral, nodule border, edge irregularity, halo, solid/cystic vs. solid, uniformity of echogenicity, echogenicity, microcalcifications, flow grade, capsular invasion | Large size, percent contact with thyroid capsule, microcalcifications, flow grade 3–4 (graded from 0–4), resistive index >0.654, peak systolic velocity > 24.5 cm/s associated with LN mets. Additional categories not associated with LN mets. |
Fukuoka et al. [35] | 2015 | 480 PTC in 384 patients | <1.0 cm | Increase in tumor size ≥3 mm (prospective trial) | Calcification pattern, tumor vascularity | Macroscopic/rim calcifications and poor vascularity on most recent follow-up associated with non-progression of disease. These features were also strongly associated with advanced age. |
Gweon et al. [54] | 2016 | 397 PTC | 3–35 mm | ETE LN mets | Tumor composition, echogenicity, margins, calcifications, shape, TI-RADS category (Kwon classification), size | Size associated with ETE. Size, microcalcifications associated with LN mets. All additional categories not associated with ETE or LN mets |
Kamaya et al. [33] | 2015 | 62 PTC | >1.0Â cm | ETE | Capsular abutment, contour bulging, vascularity beyond capsule, loss of echogenic capsule | Capsular abutment 100% sensitive for extracapsular extension Loss of echogenic capsule was best predictor of ETE. |
Kim et al. [30] | 2011 | 354 PTC | ≤2 cm | ETE LN mets | Size, shape, margin, echogenicity, calcification, vascularity, contact with capsule | Size >0.5 cm, marked hypoechogenicity, contact with capsule associated with ETE. Marked hypoechogenicity associated with LN mets. Additional factors were not predictive. |
Lai et al. [55] | 2016 | 367 PTC | ≤1.0 cm | ETE LN mets | Size, shape, length/width ratio, border, peripheral halo, echogenicity, cystic change, calcification (any), vascularity, presence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis | Size associated with LN mets and ETE. Calcification (any), multifocality associated with LN mets only for microcarcinoma > 5 mm. Additional features were not associated with LN mets; no US features associated with LN mets for microcarcinoma < 5 mm. |
Lee et al. [31] | 2014 | 568 PTC | 3–49 mm | ETE | Size, lesion location, echogenicity, (LN stage), % abutment of thyroid capsule, capsular protrusion | Size, thyroid capsular protrusion, % abutment of thyroid capsule are all associated with ETE. |
Zhan et al. [32] | 2012 | 155 PTC | <10Â mm to greater than 40Â mm | LN mets | Size, shape, border, margin, halo, internal architecture, echogenicity, homogeneity of echotexture, calcification, contact between nodule border and thyroid, vascularity, peak systolic velocity, pulsatility index, resistive index | Size, contact percentage, combined microcalcifications/ macrocalcifications, increased vascularity, high resistive index difference associated with LN mets. No association seen with other parameters. |