Dataset Information

Ultrasound characterization for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology: inter-observer agreement and impact of combining pattern-based and scoring-based classifications in risk stratification.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) sonographic patterns stratify the risk of malignancy of cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITNs). This study aimed to (1) assess inter-observer agreement for sonographic features and patterns; (2) identify potential sources of disagreement; and (3) evaluate whether the number of suspicious features risk-stratifies non-ATA and high-suspicion patterns.

Methods

Three observers independently reviewed the ultrasound images of 463 ITNs with histological follow-up consecutively evaluated between October 2008 and June 2015 at an academic cancer center. Each observer evaluated individual sonographic features. ATA sonographic patterns were derived from the interpretation of sonographic features. Nodules not fitting into any of the proposed patterns were clustered into a non-ATA pattern.

Results

The inter-observer agreement for ATA sonographic patterns and echogenicity was fair, moderate for margins, good for composition and echogenic foci, and very good for extrathyroidal extension and lymph node metastasis. The interpretation of each sonographic feature was significantly different between observers, and there was complete disagreement in at least one of the features in 104 (22%) nodules. A total of 169 nodules (37%) were classified into the non-ATA pattern. The number of suspicious features allowed risk stratifying nodules with non-ATA and high-suspicion sonographic patterns. Most Non-invasive Follicular Thyroid Neoplasms with Papillary-like Nuclear Features had 0-1 suspicious features and none had >2.

Conclusions

Echogenicity interpretation was the greatest source of disagreement. The number of suspicious features risk-stratifies ITNs with non-ATA or high-suspicion patterns. Future studies attempting to objectivize the interpretation of echogenicity and heterogeneity are needed.

SUBMITTER: Lam CA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7771547 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Ultrasound characterization for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology: inter-observer agreement and impact of combining pattern-based and scoring-based classifications in risk stratification.

Lam Cesar A CA McGettigan Melissa J MJ Thompson Zachary J ZJ Khazai Laila L Chung Christine H CH Centeno Barbara A BA McIver Bryan B Valderrabano Pablo P

Endocrine 20190712 2

<h4>Background</h4>The American Thyroid Association (ATA) sonographic patterns stratify the risk of malignancy of cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITNs). This study aimed to (1) assess inter-observer agreement for sonographic features and patterns; (2) identify potential sources of disagreement; and (3) evaluate whether the number of suspicious features risk-stratifies non-ATA and high-suspicion patterns.<h4>Methods</h4>Three observers independently reviewed the ultrasound images of ...[more]

PMID: 31300961

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Project description:Background: Thyroid ultrasound (US), fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), and molecular testing have been widely used to stratify the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules. The goal of this study was to investigate a novel diagnostic approach for cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules (ITN) based upon a combination of US features and genetic alterations. Methods: We performed a pilot cohort study of patients with ITN (Bethesda III/IV), who underwent surgical treatment. Based on standardized sonographic patterns established by the American Thyroid Association (ATA), each ITN received an US score (XUS), ranging between 0 and 0.9 according to its risk of thyroid cancer (TC). DNA and RNA were extracted from pathologic material, available for all patients, and subjected to Oncomine™ Comprehensive Assay v2 (OCAv2) next-generation sequencing. Each genetic alteration was annotated based on its strength of association with TC and its sum served as the genomic classifier score (XGC). The total risk score (TRS) was the sum of XUS and XGC. ROC curves were generated to assess the diagnostic accuracy of XUS, XGC, and TRS. Results: The study cohort consisted of 50 patients (39 females and 11 males), aged 47.5 ± 14.8 years. Three patients were excluded due to molecular testing failure. Among the remaining 47 patients, 28 (59.6%) were diagnosed with TC. BRAFV600E was the most common mutation in papillary TC, PAX8-PPARG fusion was present in NIFTP, pathogenic variants of SLX4, ATM, and NRAS were found in Hürthle cell TC and RET mutations in medullary TC. The diagnostic accuracy of XGC and TRS was significantly higher compared with XUS (88 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001; 85.2 vs. 62.5%, p < 0.001, respectively). However, this increased accuracy was due to significantly better sensitivity (80.7 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001; 84.6 vs. 34.6%, p < 0.001, respectively) without improved specificity (94.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.55; 85.7 vs. 90%, p = 0.63, respectively). Conclusion: Molecular testing might not be necessary in ITN with high-risk US pattern (XUS = 0.9), as specificity of TC diagnosis based on Xus alone is sufficient and not improved with molecular testing. OCAv2 is useful in guiding the management of ITN with low-to-intermediate risk US features (XUS < 0.9), as it increases the accuracy of TC diagnosis.

Project description:BackgroundRecent developments in diagnostic techniques for malaria, particularly DNA probes and sero-immunology, have raised questions as to how these techniques might be used to facilitate malaria diagnosis at the most peripheral levels of the primary health care system. At present, malaria diagnosis is based on the standard microscopic examination of blood films in most field epidemiologic studies and is likely to remain so in the immediate future in Africa. The objective of this study was to assess inter-observer agreement for the examination of Giemsa-stained slides for Plasmodium falciparum parasites.MethodsChildren aged 0 to 10 years were enrolled yearly in Bancoumana village (West Africa), mainly during the transmission season (June to October). The blood smears obtained from the persistently negative children in June 1996, August 1996, October 1996 and March 1997 were systematically re-examined. A stratified random sample (10%) proportional to the following parasite density classes 1-100, 101-5000, and 5001 and over was taken from the slides collected. The kappa statistics and the intra-class correlation were used as measures of agreement the first and the second slide examinations.ResultsThe weighted kappa statistic, widely used as a chance-corrected measure for nominal agreement, showed excellent inter-observer agreement (?(w)=0.7926; 95% CI [0.7588, 0.8263]; p=0.01). The intra-class correlation co-efficient had the same value of 0.7926 confirming the appropriateness of the weighted kappa statistic. Inter-observer agreement for slides read as negative by one observer, or as containing more than 100 parasites per ?l, was excellent: 97% (493/506) and 92% (145/158), respectively. In contrast, the inter-observer agreement for slides read by one observer as containing 1-100 parasites/?l was poor, 36% (96/268).ConclusionsIn field conditions in Mali, there was a high reproducibility for slides reported as negative or as having more than 100 parasites per ?l. However, smears with readings of 1-100 parasites per ?l were less reproducible and should be re-examined carefully.

Dataset Information

Ultrasound characterization for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology: inter-observer agreement and impact of combining pattern-based and scoring-based classifications in risk stratification.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Ultrasound characterization for thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology: inter-observer agreement and impact of combining pattern-based and scoring-based classifications in risk stratification.

Similar Datasets

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