Table 6.
Subgroup analysis: therapeutic yield after one year of follow-up in AUS/FLUS, FN/SFN, and HCN/SHCN nodules
| [18F]FDG-PET/CT-driven group | Diagnostic surgery group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % (95% CI) | n | % (95% CI) | p | |
| Non-Hürthle cell nodules, AUS/FLUS + FN/SFN (n = 101) | n = 68 | n = 33 | |||
| Beneficial management | 43/68 | 63% (51–75%) | 5 / 33 | 15% (5–32%) | < 0.001a |
| Surgery for malignant/borderline nodule | 20/68 | 29% (19–42%) | 5 / 33 | 15% (5–32%) | 0.12a |
| Surveillance for benign nodule | 23/68 | 34% (23–46%) | 0 / 33 | 0% (0–11%) | < 0.001a |
| Unbeneficial management | 25/68 | 37% (25–49%) | 28 / 33 | 85% (68–95%) | < 0.001a |
| Surgery for benign nodule | 25/68 | 37% (25–49%) | 28 / 33 | 85% (68–95%) | < 0.001a |
| Surveillance for malignant/borderline nodule | 0/68 | 0% (0–5%) | 0 / 33 | 0% (0–11%) | n.a. |
| Avoided surgery in benign nodules | 23/48 | 48% (33–63%) | 0 / 28 | 0% (0–12%) | < 0.001a |
| AUS/FLUS (n = 60) | n = 40 | n = 20 | |||
| Beneficial management | 24/40 | 60% (43–75%) | 1 / 20 | 5% (0–25%) | < 0.001a |
| Surgery for malignant/borderline nodule | 9/40 | 23% (11–38%) | 1 / 20 | 5% (0–25%) | 0.14b |
| Surveillance for benign nodule | 15/40 | 38% (23–54%) | 0 / 20 | 0% (0–17%) | 0.002a |
| Unbeneficial management | 16/40 | 40% (25–57%) | 19 / 20 | 95% (75–100%) | < 0.001a |
| Surgery for benign nodule | 16/40 | 40% (25–57%) | 19 / 20 | 95% (75–100%) | < 0.001a |
| Surveillance for malignant/borderline nodule | 0/40 | 0% (0–9%) | 0 / 20 | 0% (0–17%) | n.a. |
| Avoided surgery in benign nodules | 15/31 | 48% (30–67%) | 0 / 19 | 0% (0–18%) | < 0.001a |
| FN/SFN (n = 41) | n = 28 | n = 13 | |||
| Beneficial management | 19/28 | 68% (48–84%) | 4 / 13 | 31% (9–61%) | 0.03a |
| Surgery for malignant/borderline nodule | 11/28 | 39% (22–59%) | 4 / 13 | 31% (9–61%) | 0.73b |
| Surveillance for benign nodule | 8/28 | 29% (13–49%) | 0 / 13 | 0% (0–25%) | 0.04b |
| Unbeneficial management | 9/28 | 32% (16–52%) | 9 / 13 | 69% (39–91%) | 0.03a |
| Surgery for benign nodule | 9/28 | 32% (16–52%) | 9 / 13 | 69% (39–91%) | 0.03a |
| Surveillance for malignant/borderline nodule | 0/28 | 0% (0–12%) | 0 / 13 | 0% (0–25%) | n.a. |
| Avoided surgery in benign nodules | 8/17 | 47% (23–72%) | 0 / 9 | 0% (0–34%) | 0.02b |
| Hürthle cell nodules, HCN/SHCN (n = 31) | n = 23 | n = 8 | |||
| Beneficial management | 10/23 | 43% (23–66%) | 2 / 8 | 25% (3–65%) | 0.43b |
| Surgery for malignant/borderline nodule | 8/23 | 35% (16–57%) | 1 / 8 | 13% (0–53%) | 0.38b |
| Surveillance for benign nodule | 2/23 | 9% (1–28%) | 1 / 8 | 13% (0–53%) | 1b |
| Unbeneficial management | 13/23 | 57% (34–77%) | 6 / 8 | 75% (35–97%) | 0.43b |
| Surgery for benign nodule | 13/23 | 57% (34–77%) | 6 / 8 | 75% (35–97%) | 0.43b |
| Surveillance for malignant/borderline nodule | 0/23 | 0% (0–15%) | 0 / 8 | 0% (0–37%) | n.a. |
| Avoided surgery in benign nodules | 2/15 | 13% (2–40%) | 1 / 7 | 14% (0–58%) | 1b |
AUS/FLUS, atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance FN/SFN, cytology (suspicious for a) follicular neoplasm. HCN/SHCN, (suspicious for a) Hürthle cell neoplasm n.a., not applicable
aPearson’s chi-squared test
bFisher’s exact test