Association of sonographically detected calcification with thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

The detection of calcification on ultrasonography should increase the clinical index of suspicion for thyroid carcinoma and alert the physician. FSP calcification is valuable and has a very high specificity for predicting thyroid carcinoma, particularly for those younger than 45 years old or with calcified regional lymph nodes. To increase the sensitivity for the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma, tests such as fine-needle aspiration cytology should also be performed. The use of these modalities could result in earlier detection of thyroid carcinoma. The use of ultrasound to detect calcification and FSP calcification is as efficient as thyroid papillary macrocarcinoma in predicting microcarcinoma.

High Prevalence of Carcinoma in Ultrasonography-guided Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Thyroid Nodules

“…In our study, the sonographic characteristics that correlated with malignancy included: solid, hypoechoic, ill-defined margin, and the presence of microcalcifications. Our findings are consistent with previous studies [4,8,9,18,19]. For rim calcification, other studies did not show a relationship to malignancy [8,9].…”

Relationship between patterns of calcification in thyroid nodules and histopathologic findings

“…But, ultrasonographic microcalcification is not completely explain psammoma bodies, because there are several calcification types histologically [13,14]. Wang et al [4] reported microcalcification was present in 38.2% (26 of 68) of malignant nodules with calcification. Taki et al [5] reported the proportion of microcalcification in malignant nodules with calcification was 29.0% (9 of 31).…”

“…shell or rim-like peripheral calcifications, intranodular coarse dense calcifications, calcified spot, and microcalcifications [4,5]. Microcalcification is known to be highly associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma and its histologic type is easy decided by US-guided FNA.…”

Diagnostic Accuracy of Ultrasonography in Differentiating Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules Using Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology as the Reference Standard

“…Microcalcifications correspond pathologically to calcified psammoma bodies that are typical of papillary cancer (Meissner et al, 1958;Klinck et al, 1959;Pusztaszeri et al, 2013). Macro calcification or coarse calcifications are related to fibrosis and degeneration (Wang et al, 2006). Benign nodules have coarse calcifications, especially with long disease duration (Komolafe et al, 1981;Kuma et al, 1992;Vinayak S et al 2012).…”