Should We Recommend Ultrasonography for an Incidental Thyroid Nodule on Additional Cervicothoracic Sagittal T2-Weighted Image of Lumbar Spine MRI?.
10.13104/imri.2015.19.4.224
- Author:
Hee Woo CHO
1
;
Jin Oh PARK
;
Young Han LEE
;
Soo Yoon CHUNG
;
Jin Suck SUH
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Medical Convergence Research Institute, and Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cervicothoracic spine;
Sagittal T2-weighted image;
Lumbar spine MRI;
Thyroid nodule;
US
- MeSH:
Humans;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*;
Research Personnel;
Retrospective Studies;
Spine*;
Thyroid Gland*;
Thyroid Nodule*;
Ultrasonography*
- From:Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
2015;19(4):224-230
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To determine whether we should recommend ultrasonography (US) for an incidental thyroid nodule identified by additional cervicothoracic sagittal T2-weighted image (C-T sag T2WI) of lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 61 patients who underwent both lumbar spine MRI and thyroid US between December 2011 and April 2015 was conducted. For all US-found thyroid nodules > 1 cm, investigators evaluated whether there was any correlation between thyroid nodule detectability by C-T sag T2WI and US features such as echogenicity, composition, or suspicion of malignancy. RESULTS: Solid hypoechoic (2/4; 50%) or mixed echoic nodules (4/8; 50%) appeared to be found relatively more easily by C-T sag T2WI than more benign-looking solid isoechoic (1/4; 25%) or spongiform nodules (0/6; 0%). Among six nodules with ultrasonographic suspicion for malignancy, only one nodule was detected by C-T sag T2WI. CONCLUSION: If an incidental thyroid nodule is seen by C-T sag T2WI, it would be better to recommend thyroid US for identifying malignancy.