Table 1.

Anamnestic, clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic (US) risk factors for malignancy in the diagnostic approach to children’ thyroid nodules

Anamnestic data	Laboratory data
– Family history for thyroid cancer	– Increased thyrotropin levels
– Previous cancer	– High calcitonin levels
– History of irradiation exposure	US data
Clinical data	– Nodule hypoechogenicity
– Lymphoadenopathy	– Nodule microcalcifications
– Signs of compression of adjacent structures	– Nodule undefined margins
– Nodule growth under levothyroxine therapy	– Increased intranodular vascular flow
	– Specific lymph node alterations