Table III.
Comparison of the ultrasonic features between MTC and thyroid adenoma.
| Ultrasonic imaging | MTC (n=39) | Thyroid adenoma (n=30) | χ2 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | ||||
| Middle upper pole | 23 | 18 | 0.007 | >0.05 |
| Lower pole | 16 | 12 | ||
| Echo | ||||
| Hypoecho or extreme hypoecho | 37 | 19 | 11.030 | <0.01 |
| Isoecho or hyperecho | 2 | 11 | ||
| Boundary | ||||
| Clear | 24 | 20 | 0.193 | >0.05 |
| Unclear | 15 | 10 | ||
| Shape | ||||
| Round or oval | 25 | 23 | 0.361 | >0.05 |
| Irregular | 14 | 17 | ||
| Aspect ratio | ||||
| >1 | 6 | 3 | 0.433 | >0.05 |
| ≤1 | 33 | 27 | ||
| Calcification | ||||
| No | 2 | 25 | 45.609 | <0.01 |
| Microcalcification | 11 | 4 | ||
| Course calcification | 26 | 1 | ||
| Internal blood flow | ||||
| No | 3 | 8 | 15.99 | <0.01 |
| Not rich | 11 | 17 | ||
| Rich | 25 | 5 | ||
| Lymph node metastasis | ||||
| No | 21 | 30 | 18.733 | <0.01 |
| Yes | 18 | 0 | ||
MTC, medullary thyroid carcinoma. Data are expressed as number of patients.