Table 3.
Statistical analysis of B-mode parameters discriminating malignant from benign thyroid lesions (PPV—positive predictive value, NPV—negative predictive value, OR—odds ratio).
| Ultrasound Feature | Characteristics% (95% CI) | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | PPV (%) | NPV (%) | OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echogenicity | Markedly hypoechoic | 59.0 (52.3–65.4) | 71.8 (68.0–75.3) | 43.8 (38.2–49.6) | 82.4 (78.9–85.5) | 3.65 (2.66–5.01) |
| Hypoechoic | 93.9 (90.0–96.6) | 27.2 (23.8–31.0) | 32.5 (29.0–36.2) | 92.3 (87.4–95.7) | 5.75 (3.25–10.16) | |
| Isoechoic | 5.2 (2.7–9.0) | 76.2 (72.6–79.5) | 7.6 (4.0–12.9) | 68.3 (64.6–71.8) | 0.18 (0.10–0.33) | |
| Hyperechoic | 0.9 (0.1–3.1) | 96.9 (95.2–98.1) | 9.5 (1.2–30.4) | 72.4 (69.2–75.4) | 0.28 (0.06–1.19) | |
| Margins | Irregular | 75.5 (69.5–81.0) | 81.7 (78.4–84.7) | 60.7 (54.8–66.4) | 89.9 (87.1–92.3) | 13.82 (9.6–19.9) |
| Microcalcifications | Yes | 53.7 (47.0–60.3) | 75.9 (72.3–79.2) | 45.4 (39.4–51.5) | 81.4 (78.0–84.5) | 3.65 (2.65–5.02) |
| Macrocalcifications | Yes | 22.3 (17.1–28.2) | 84.8 (81.7–87.6) | 35.4 (27.6–43.8) | 74.5 (71.1–77.7) | 1.60 (1.09–2.35) |
| Composition | Solid/Almost solid | 92.6 (88.4–95.6) | 44.0 (40.1–48.1) | 38.2 (34.1–42.4) | 94.1 (90.7–96.5) | 9.82 (5.84–16.50) |
| Solid-cystic | 7.4 (4.4–11.6) | 59.7 (55.7–63.6) | 6.4 (3.8–10.1) | 63.3 (59.2–67.3) | 0.12 (0.07–0.20) | |
| Cystic | 0.0 (0.0–1.6) | 99.7 (98.8–100.0) | 0.0 (0.0–84.2) | 72.7 (69.6–75.7) | NA | |
| Spongiform | 0.0 (0.0–1.6) | 96.6 (94.8–97.9) | 0.0 (0.0–16.1) | 72.1 (68.9–75.2) | NA | |
| Shape | Taller-than-wide shape | 45.9 (39.3–52.5) | 85.2 (82.1–87.9) | 53.6 (46.3–60.7) | 80.8 (77.6–83.8) | 4.86 (3.45–6.84) |