Background: The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an immunonutritional test tool based on serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte counts. It has been studied as a simple prognostic predictor for various carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative CONUT scores and the clinicopathological characteristics in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods: This study included 2,403 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between 2012 and 2016 at a single tertiary medical center. The CONUT scores were calculated based on preoperative blood tests. The clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized by the CONUT score (relatively low, 0–2; relatively high, 3–5). Results: Among the 2,997 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy at Pusan National University Hospital between 2012 and 2016, those without preoperative blood test were excluded (n=149). Finally 2,403 patients were analyzed after excluding 439 patients taking lipid-lowering drugs and six patients without available T stage data after surgery. Based on the CONUT score, the relatively high score group had a lower body mass index (23.7±3.3 kg/m2 vs. 21.9±2.9 kg/m2, P<0.001), more advanced T stage (T stage 3/4, 5.9% vs. 11.4%, P=0.045), and higher extrathyroidal extension (2.1% vs. 7.6%, P=0.005). Conclusion Patients included in this large, single-center study all had a preoperative CONUT score of 0–5, but this study demonstrated that higher preoperative CONUT scores were significantly associated with advanced T stage and extrathyroidal extension. The CONUT score, which can be easily used in clinical practice, is thought to be helpful in predicting the aggressiveness of PTC.

Background: The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an immunonutritional test tool based on serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte counts. It has been studied as a simple prognostic predictor for various carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative CONUT scores and the clinicopathological characteristics in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods: This study included 2,403 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between 2012 and 2016 at a single tertiary medical center. The CONUT scores were calculated based on preoperative blood tests. The clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized by the CONUT score (relatively low, 0–2; relatively high, 3–5). Results: Among the 2,997 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy at Pusan National University Hospital between 2012 and 2016, those without preoperative blood test were excluded (n=149). Finally 2,403 patients were analyzed after excluding 439 patients taking lipid-lowering drugs and six patients without available T stage data after surgery. Based on the CONUT score, the relatively high score group had a lower body mass index (23.7±3.3 kg/m2 vs. 21.9±2.9 kg/m2, P<0.001), more advanced T stage (T stage 3/4, 5.9% vs. 11.4%, P=0.045), and higher extrathyroidal extension (2.1% vs. 7.6%, P=0.005). Conclusion Patients included in this large, single-center study all had a preoperative CONUT score of 0–5, but this study demonstrated that higher preoperative CONUT scores were significantly associated with advanced T stage and extrathyroidal extension. The CONUT score, which can be easily used in clinical practice, is thought to be helpful in predicting the aggressiveness of PTC.

Background: The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an immunonutritional test tool based on serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte counts. It has been studied as a simple prognostic predictor for various carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative CONUT scores and the clinicopathological characteristics in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods: This study included 2,403 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between 2012 and 2016 at a single tertiary medical center. The CONUT scores were calculated based on preoperative blood tests. The clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized by the CONUT score (relatively low, 0–2; relatively high, 3–5). Results: Among the 2,997 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy at Pusan National University Hospital between 2012 and 2016, those without preoperative blood test were excluded (n=149). Finally 2,403 patients were analyzed after excluding 439 patients taking lipid-lowering drugs and six patients without available T stage data after surgery. Based on the CONUT score, the relatively high score group had a lower body mass index (23.7±3.3 kg/m2 vs. 21.9±2.9 kg/m2, P<0.001), more advanced T stage (T stage 3/4, 5.9% vs. 11.4%, P=0.045), and higher extrathyroidal extension (2.1% vs. 7.6%, P=0.005). Conclusion Patients included in this large, single-center study all had a preoperative CONUT score of 0–5, but this study demonstrated that higher preoperative CONUT scores were significantly associated with advanced T stage and extrathyroidal extension. The CONUT score, which can be easily used in clinical practice, is thought to be helpful in predicting the aggressiveness of PTC.

Background: The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an immunonutritional test tool based on serum albumin, total cholesterol, and lymphocyte counts. It has been studied as a simple prognostic predictor for various carcinomas. This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative CONUT scores and the clinicopathological characteristics in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods: This study included 2,403 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between 2012 and 2016 at a single tertiary medical center. The CONUT scores were calculated based on preoperative blood tests. The clinicopathological characteristics were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were categorized by the CONUT score (relatively low, 0–2; relatively high, 3–5). Results: Among the 2,997 PTC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy at Pusan National University Hospital between 2012 and 2016, those without preoperative blood test were excluded (n=149). Finally 2,403 patients were analyzed after excluding 439 patients taking lipid-lowering drugs and six patients without available T stage data after surgery. Based on the CONUT score, the relatively high score group had a lower body mass index (23.7±3.3 kg/m2 vs. 21.9±2.9 kg/m2, P<0.001), more advanced T stage (T stage 3/4, 5.9% vs. 11.4%, P=0.045), and higher extrathyroidal extension (2.1% vs. 7.6%, P=0.005). Conclusion Patients included in this large, single-center study all had a preoperative CONUT score of 0–5, but this study demonstrated that higher preoperative CONUT scores were significantly associated with advanced T stage and extrathyroidal extension. The CONUT score, which can be easily used in clinical practice, is thought to be helpful in predicting the aggressiveness of PTC.

The prevalence of thyroid cancer in pregnant women is unknown; however, given that thyroid cancer commonly develops in women, especially young women of childbearing age, new cases are often diagnosed during pregnancy. This recommendation summarizes the follow-up and treatment when thyroid cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy and when a woman with thyroid cancer becomes pregnant. If diagnosed in the first trimester, surgery should be postponed until after delivery, and the patient should be monitored with ultrasound. If follow-up before 24–26 weeks of gestation shows that thyroid cancer has progressed, surgery should be considered. If it has not progressed at 24–26 weeks of gestation or if papillary thyroid cancer is diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy, surgery should be considered after delivery.

Based on the clinical, histopathological, and perioperative data of a patient with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), risk stratification based on their initial recurrence risk is a crucial follow-up (FU) strategy during the first 1–2 years after initial therapy. However, restratifiying the recurrence risk on the basis of current clinical data that becomes available after considering the response to treatment (ongoing risk stratification, ORS) provides a more accurate prediction of the status at the final FU and a more tailored management approach. Since the 2015 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Thyroid Nodules and DTC, the latest guidelines that include the National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice and European Association for Medical Oncology guidelines have been updated to reflect several recent evidence in ORS and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression of DTC. The current clinical practice guideline was developed by extracting FU surveillance after the initial treatment section from the previous version of guidelines and updating it to reflect recent evidence. The current revised guideline includes recommendations for recent ORS, TSH target level based on risk stratification, FU tools for detection of recurrence and assessment of disease status, and long-term FU strategy for consideration of the disease status. These evidence-based recommendations are expected to avoid overtreatment and intensive FU of the majority of patients who will have a very good prognosis after the initial treatment of DTC patients, thereby ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate and effective treatment and FU options.

Differentiated thyroid cancer demonstrates a wide range of clinical presentations, from very indolent cases to those with an aggressive prognosis. Therefore, diagnosing and treating each cancer appropriately based on its risk status is important. The Korean Thyroid Association (KTA) has provided and amended the clinical guidelines for thyroid cancer management since 2007. The main changes in this revised 2024 guideline include 1) individualization of surgical extent according to pathological tests and clinical findings, 2) application of active surveillance in low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, 3) indications for minimally invasive surgery, 4) adoption of World Health Organization pathological diagnostic criteria and definition of terminology in Korean, 5) update on literature evidence of recurrence risk for initial risk stratification, 6) addition of the role of molecular testing, 7) addition of definition of initial risk stratification and targeting thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations according to ongoing risk stratification (ORS), 8) addition of treatment of perioperative hypoparathyroidism, 9) update on systemic chemotherapy, and 10) addition of treatment for pediatric patients with thyroid cancer.

Objective: To investigate whether reader training improves the performance and agreement of radiologists in interpreting unenhanced breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Materials and Methods: A study of 96 breasts (35 cancers, 24 benign, and 37 negative) in 48 asymptomatic women was performed between June 2019 and October 2020. High-resolution DWI with b-values of 0, 800, and 1200 sec/mm 2 was performed using a 3.0-T system. Sixteen breast radiologists independently reviewed the DWI, apparent diffusion coefficient maps, and T1-weighted MRI scans and recorded the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category for each breast. After a 2-h training session and a 5-month washout period, they re-evaluated the BI-RADS categories. A BI-RADS category of 4 (lesions with at least two suspicious criteria) or 5 (more than two suspicious criteria) was considered positive.The per-breast diagnostic performance of each reader was compared between the first and second reviews. Inter-reader agreement was evaluated using a multi-rater κ analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Before training, the mean sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the 16 readers were 70.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 59.4–79.9), 90.8% (95% CI: 85.6–94.2), and 83.5% (95% CI: 78.6–87.4), respectively. After training, significant improvements in specificity (95.2%; 95% CI: 90.8–97.5; P = 0.001) and accuracy (85.9%; 95% CI: 80.9–89.8; P = 0.01) were observed, but no difference in sensitivity (69.8%; 95% CI: 58.1–79.4; P = 0.58) was observed. Regarding inter-reader agreement, the κ values were 0.57 (95% CI: 0.52–0.63) before training and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.62–0.74) after training, with a difference of 0.11 (95% CI: 0.02–0.18; P = 0.01). The ICC was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.69–0.74) before training and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.76–0.80) after training (P = 0.002). Conclusion Brief reader training improved the performance and agreement of interpretations by breast radiologists using unenhanced MRI with DWI.

Objective: To prospectively investigate the influence of the menstrual cycle on the background parenchymal signal (BPS) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the breast on diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) in healthy premenopausal women. Materials and Methods: Seven healthy premenopausal women (median age, 37 years; range, 33–49 years) with regular menstrual cycles participated in this study. DW-MRI was performed during each of the four phases of the menstrual cycle (four examinations in total). Three radiologists independently assessed the BPS visual grade on images with b-values of 800 sec/mm2 (b800), 1200 sec/mm2 (b1200), and a synthetic 1500 sec/mm2 (sb1500). Additionally, one radiologist conducted a quantitative analysis to measure the BPS volume (%) and ADC values of the BPS (ADCBPS) and fibroglandular tissue (ADCFGT). Changes in the visual grade, BPS volume (%), ADCBPS, and ADCFGT during the menstrual cycle were descriptively analyzed. Results: The visual grade of BPS in seven women varied from mild to marked on b800 and from minimal to moderate on b1200 and sb1500. As the b-value increased, the visual grade of BPS decreased. On b800 and sb1500, two of the seven volunteers showed the highest visual grade in the early follicular phase (EFP). On b1200, three of the seven volunteers showed the highest visual grades in EFP. The BPS volume (%) on b800 and b1200 showed the highest value in three of the six volunteers with dense breasts in EFP. Three of the seven volunteers showed the lowest ADCBPS in the EFP. Four of the seven volunteers showed the highest ADCBPS in the early luteal phase (ELP) and the lowest ADCFGT in the late follicular phase (LFP). Conclusion Most volunteers did not exhibit specific BPS patterns during their menstrual cycles. However, the highest BPS and lowest ADCBPS were more frequently observed in EFP than in the other menstrual cycle phases, whereas the highest ADCBPS was more common in ELP. The lowest ADCFGT was more frequent in LFP.

Background/Aims: To compare the effects of abatacept and conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) on the progression and development of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Methods: This multi-center retrospective study included RA patients receiving abatacept or csDMARDs who underwent at least two pulmonary function tests and/or chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). We compared the following outcomes between the groups: progression of RA-ILD, development of new ILD in RA patients without ILD at baseline, 28-joint Disease Activity Score with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR), and safety. Longitudinal changes were compared between the groups by using a generalized estimating equation. Results: The study included 123 patients who were treated with abatacept (n = 59) or csDMARDs (n = 64). Nineteen (32.2%) and 38 (59.4%) patients treated with abatacept and csDMARDs, respectively, presented with RA-ILD at baseline. Newly developed ILD occurred in one patient receiving triple csDMARDs for 32 months. Among patients with RA-ILD at baseline, ILD progressed in 21.1% of cases treated with abatacept and 34.2% of cases treated with csDMARDs during a median 21-month follow-up. Longitudinal changes in forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide were comparable between the two groups. However, the abatacept group showed a more significant decrease in DAS28-ESR and glucocorticoid doses than csDMARDs group during the follow-up. The safety of both regimens was comparable. Conclusions Abatacept and csDMARDs showed comparable effects on the development and stabilization of RA-ILD. Nevertheless, compared to csDMARDs, abatacept demonstrated a significant improvement in disease activity and led to reduced glucocorticoid use.