Liu W, Dong X, Zhu C, Yang J, Yang J, Shao K, Yuan L, Chen H, Lu W, Zhu Y
Neoplasma. 2015;62(4):641-5. doi: 10.4149/neo_2015_077.
This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of calcification detected by computed tomography (CT) for the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. This is a retrospective study of 930 consecutive patients (709 women, 221 men; mean age 51 years) with pathologically proven thyroid nodules. The characteristics of calcification on CT images were correlated with the pathological results. A total of 168 patients were pathologically diagnosed with thyroid carcinomas and 762 patients with benign thyroid nodules. Calcification was found in 231 cases (24.84%). The incidence of calcification was significantly higher in patients with thyroid carcinoma (52.38%) than in those with benign nodules (18.77%; P < 0.001). Detection of calcification in diagnosing thyroid carcinoma had a sensitivity of 52.38% (88/168) and specificity of 81.23% (619/762). No significant difference was noticed in the incidence of microcalcification (≤ 2 mm) between malignant and benign nodules (P = 0.305). Calcification is more frequently found in thyroid carcinomas than benign nodules. CT detected-calcification may suggest malignant disease. Further confirmation of the suspected malignancy with fine-needle aspiration or surgery is still needed.
本研究旨在探讨计算机断层扫描（CT）检测到的钙化对鉴别甲状腺良恶性结节的诊断价值。这是一项对930例连续患者（709例女性，221例男性；平均年龄51岁）进行的回顾性研究，这些患者的甲状腺结节均经病理证实。CT图像上钙化的特征与病理结果相关。共有168例患者经病理诊断为甲状腺癌，762例患者为甲状腺良性结节。发现钙化231例（24.84%）。甲状腺癌患者钙化的发生率（52.38%）显著高于良性结节患者（18.77%；P<0.001）。CT检测钙化诊断甲状腺癌的敏感度为52.38%（88/168），特异度为81.23%（619/762）。恶性和良性结节之间微钙化（≤2mm）的发生率无显著差异（P=0.305）。甲状腺癌中钙化的发现比良性结节更常见。CT检测到的钙化可能提示恶性疾病。仍需要通过细针穿刺或手术进一步确认疑似恶性病变。
