Table 3.
Distribution of ultrasound features in the 231 thyroid nodules analyzed and results of the bivariate analysis
| Nodule characteristic | All nodules | Non-negative nodules | Negative nodules | P-value (chi-square) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of nodules | 0.051a) | |||
| Single | 84 (36) | 17 (20) | 67 (80) | |
| Multiple | 147 (64) | 16 (11) | 131 (89) | |
| Echogenicity | <0.001b) | |||
| Isoechoic or hyperechoic | 148 (64) | 8 (5) | 140 (95) | |
| Hypoechoic | 83 (36) | 25 (30) | 58 (70) | |
| Structure | <0.001b) | |||
| Colloidal cyst or mixed | 131 (57) | 7 (5) | 124 (95) | |
| Solid | 100 (43) | 26 (26) | 74 (74) | |
| Halo | 0.795 | |||
| Absent or continuous | 206 (89) | 29 (14) | 177 (86) | |
| Discontinuous | 25 (11) | 4 (16) | 21 (84) | |
| Margins | <0.001b) | |||
| Regular | 206 (89) | 23 (11) | 183 (89) | |
| Irregular | 25 (11) | 10 (40) | 15 (60) | |
| Vascularity | 0.018b) | |||
| Absent or peripheral | 92 (40) | 7 (8) | 85 (92) | |
| Intranodular or mixed | 139 (60) | 26 (19) | 113 (81) | |
| Calcifications | 0.005b) | |||
| Absent or macrocalcifications | 198 (86) | 23 (12) | 175 (88) | |
| Microcalcifications | 33 (14) | 10 (30) | 23 (70) | |
| Growthc) | 0.626 | |||
| Negative | 189 (82) | 26 (14) | 163 (86) | |
| Positive | 42 (18) | 7 (17) | 35 (83) | |
| Taller than wided) | ||||
| No | 94 (92) | 18 (19) | 76 (81) | |
| Yes | 8 (8) | 8 (100) | 0 |
Values are presented as number (%).
a)
Borderline P-value.
b)
Statistically significant P-values.
c)
≥20% in 6 months.
d)
Calculated for 102 or 231 nodules (see text for details).