Table 3.

The percentage of the nodules examined (n = 123) in which the seven investigators deemed the given characteristic to be present (all values are given in %; mean, s.d., minimum, and maximum of the individual % values of the seven investigators).

Feature	Answer	Mean	s.d.	Minimum	Maximum
Punctate echogenic foci
	Present	53	19.1	39.4	93.5
	Probably present	33.3	14.3	6.1	48.0
	Probably absent	8.7	6.5	0.4	18.3
	Absent	5.1	4.6	0	13.8
Microcalcification
	Present	27.1	14.4	9.3	50.4
	Absent	72.9	14.4	49.6	90.7
Extrathyroidal extension
	Present	12.8	5.9	4.1	19.9
	Absent	87.2	5.9	80.1	95.9
Margins
	Smooth	45.2	16.9	22	63.4
	Ill-defined	26.1	11.2	7.7	39.8
	Irregular	20.8	8.9	11.4	34.1
	Cannot be determined	7.8	9.1	0	18.3
Echogenicity
	Iso-/hyperechogenic	24.2	12.9	8.1	41.1
	Mildly/moderately hypoechogenic	43.7	12.8	28.5	60.2
	Very hypoechogenic	21.5	11.6	7.7	37.4
	Anechoic	2.7	1.5	0.8	5.3
	Cannot be determined	7.8	11.1	0	28.0
Echogenicity (iso-/hyperechogenic and hypoechogenic nodules only)
	Iso-/hyperechogenic	26.9	13.3	8.2	41.9
	Hypoechogenic	73.1	13.3	58.1	91.8
Comet-tail artifact
	Present	18.0	7.4	7.3	27.2
	Absent	72.6	13.7	46.7	84.1
	Uncertain	9.3	9.7	0	27.2
Back-wall cystic figure
	Present	21.1	10.9	3.7	35.8
	Absent	70.4	12.6	51.6	90.7
	Uncertain	8.5	8.0	0	24.0
Macrocalcification
	Present	17.8	7.0	11.4	27.2
	Absent	79.6	6.5	70.7	87.8
	Uncertain	2.7	2.1	0	6.5
Is the lesion a nodule?
	Yes	96.5	4.0	87.8	99.6
	No	3.5	4.0	0.4	12.2