Usefulness of intraoperative determination of central lymph node metastasis by palpation in papillary thyroid cancer
- Author:
Wan Wook KIM
1
;
Jeeyeon LEE
;
Jin Hyang JUNG
;
Ho Yong PARK
;
Won Hwa KIM
;
Hye Jung KIM
;
Ji-Young PARK
;
Ralph P. TUFANO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original article
- From:Yeungnam University Journal of Medicine 2020;37(4):302-307
- CountryRepublic of Korea
-
Abstract:
Background:This study evaluated the usefulness of judgment of central lymph node (LN) metastasis by surgeon’s palpation in papillary thyroid cancer.
Methods:This study included 127 patients who underwent thyroidectomy and central compartment node dissection between October 2014 and February 2015. The criterion for suspicious LNs was hardness.
Results:Of the 20.5% (28/127) of suspicious for metastatic LNs according to surgeon determination, 92.8% (26/28) were confirmed to be metastatic in the final pathological examinations. Metastatic LNs were found in 38 (38.3%) of 99 patients without suspicious LNs, 29 of whom (76.3%) had micrometastases. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the determination of LN metastasis by a surgeon were 40.6%, 96.8%, 92.9%, and 61.6%, respectively.
Conclusion:Determination of central LN metastasis by a surgeon’s palpation may be useful to evaluate LNs owing to the high specificity and positive predictive values, especially in macrometastasis or high-risk LN disease.
