This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of calcification detected by computed tomography (CT) for the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. This is a retrospective study of 930 consecutive patients (709 women, 221 men; mean age 51 years) with pathologically proven thyroid nodules. The characteristics of calcification on CT images were correlated with the pathological results. A total of 168 patients were pathologically diagnosed with thyroid carcinomas and 762 patients with benign thyroid nodules. Calcification was found in 231 cases (24.84%). The incidence of calcification was significantly higher in patients with thyroid carcinoma (52.38%) than in those with benign nodules (18.77%; P < 0.001). Detection of calcification in diagnosing thyroid carcinoma had a sensitivity of 52.38% (88/168) and specificity of 81.23% (619/762). No significant difference was noticed in the incidence of microcalcification (<= 2 mm) between malignant and benign nodules (P = 0.305). Calcification is more frequently found in thyroid carcinomas than benign nodules. CT detected-calcification may suggest malignant disease. Further confirmation of the suspected malignancy with fine-needle aspiration or surgery is still needed.
基金：
Medical Imaging Center of Shanghai Changning District [2004qzx01]
第一作者机构：[1]Radiology Department, ShangHai TongRen Hospital, ShangHai 200336, China
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推荐引用方式(GB/T 7714)：
Liu W.,Dong X. Y.,Zhu C. S.,et al.Association between computed tomography-detected calcification and thyroid carcinoma[J].NEOPLASMA.2015,62(4):641-645.doi:10.4149/neo_2015_077.
APA：
Liu, W.,Dong, X. Y.,Zhu, C. S.,Yang, J.,Yang, J....&Zhu, Y..(2015).Association between computed tomography-detected calcification and thyroid carcinoma.NEOPLASMA,62,(4)
MLA：
Liu, W.,et al."Association between computed tomography-detected calcification and thyroid carcinoma".NEOPLASMA 62..4(2015):641-645
