Endocrinology Department, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
Endocrine. 2024 Aug;85(2):730-736. doi: 10.1007/s12020-024-03731-5. Epub 2024 Feb 19.
PURPOSE: Ultrasound evaluation of thyroid nodules is the preferred technique, but it is dependent on operator interpretation, leading to inter-observer variability. The current study aimed to determine the inter-physician consensus on nodular characteristics, risk categorization in the classification systems, and the need for fine needle aspiration puncture. METHODS: Four endocrinologists from the same center blindly evaluated 100 ultrasound images of thyroid nodules from 100 different patients. The following ultrasound features were evaluated: composition, echogenicity, margins, calcifications, and microcalcifications. Nodules were also classified according to ATA, EU-TIRADS, K-TIRADS, and ACR-TIRADS classifications. Krippendorff's alpha test was used to assess interobserver agreement. RESULTS: The interobserver agreement for ultrasound features was: Krippendorff's coefficient 0.80 (0.71-0.89) for composition, 0.59 (0.47-0.72) for echogenicity, 0.73 (0.57-0.88) for margins, 0.55 (0.40-0.69) for calcifications, and 0.50 (0.34-0.67) for microcalcifications. The concordance for the classification systems was 0.7 (0.61-0.80) for ATA, 0.63 (0.54-0.73) for EU-TIRADS, 0.64 (0.55-0.73) for K-TIRADS, and 0.68 (0.60-0.77) for K-TIRADS. The concordance in the indication of fine needle aspiration puncture (FNA) was 0.86 (0.71-1), 0.80 (0.71-0.88), 0.77 0.67-0.87), and 0.73 (0.64-0.83) for systems previously described respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver agreement was acceptable for the identification of nodules requiring cytologic study using various classification systems. However, limited concordance was observed in risk stratification and many ultrasonographic characteristics of the nodules.
目的:甲状腺结节的超声评估是首选技术,但它依赖于操作者的解释,导致观察者间的变异性。本研究旨在确定不同医生对结节特征、分类系统中的风险分类以及细针抽吸穿刺的需求的一致性。
方法:来自同一中心的 4 名内分泌学家对来自 100 名不同患者的 100 个甲状腺结节的超声图像进行了盲法评估。评估了以下超声特征:成分、回声、边缘、钙化和微钙化。结节还根据 ATA、EU-TIRADS、K-TIRADS 和 ACR-TIRADS 分类进行分类。Krippendorff 的 alpha 检验用于评估观察者间的一致性。
结果:超声特征的观察者间一致性为:成分的 Krippendorff 系数为 0.80(0.71-0.89),回声为 0.59(0.47-0.72),边缘为 0.73(0.57-0.88),钙化为 0.55(0.40-0.69),微钙化为 0.50(0.34-0.67)。分类系统的一致性为:ATA 为 0.7(0.61-0.80),EU-TIRADS 为 0.63(0.54-0.73),K-TIRADS 为 0.64(0.55-0.73),K-TIRADS 为 0.68(0.60-0.77)。细针抽吸穿刺(FNA)指征的一致性分别为 0.86(0.71-1)、0.80(0.71-0.88)、0.77(0.67-0.87)和 0.73(0.64-0.83)。
结论:使用各种分类系统识别需要细胞学研究的结节时,观察者间的一致性是可以接受的。然而,在风险分层和结节的许多超声特征方面观察到的一致性有限。
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