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A recent study reports,that, certain regular ultrasound features will help detect the pathology of thyroid nodules. It means, the doctors need not refer patients for ultrasound-guided biopsies.

Lead author of the study, Barry Sacks, MD, says that, the thyroid nodules attack more than 50% of the population out of which, greater than 85% of them are thyroid nodules affect more than 50 percent of the population, and statistically more than 85 percent of them are unpredictable or harmless. He also added that, Millions of patients undergoing unnecessary biopsies, as doctors are tracing less of cancer cells.This creates a huge issue with cost and instigates anxiety for patients that are not required.

The accuracy of conventional ultrasound was considered comparing it with the final pathology determined by ultrasound-guided biopsy. Of the predicted benign lesions, ultrasound prediction was correct in 89 % of the benign cases. Of the highly suspicious lesions that were for malignancy, ultrasound prediction was correct in 94% of the cases.

“The purpose of our study, performed at MetroWest Medical Center in Natick, MA, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA, was to determine whether conventional ultrasound alone could predict a specific nodule type aiding differentiation between benign and malignant thyroid nodules,Our data suggest that subsequent triage of some thyroid nodules may be able to be performed solely by ;ultrasound appearance which will allow us to dramatically reduce the number of unnecessary thyroid nodule biopsies performed,” said Sacks. 

ARRS 2010