EFFICACY OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THYROID CANCER

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ultrasonographic (US) findings of medullary thyroid carcinoma as compared to findings of papillary thyroid carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 21 cases of MTC and 114 cases of PTCs that were diagnosed between 2005 and 2011. Two radiologists reached a consensus in the evaluation of the US findings. The sonographic findings of medullary and papillary carcinomas were compared with use of the chi-square test. RESULTS: The predominant sonographic features of MTCs were solid internal content (91%), an ovoid to round shape (57%), marked hypoechogenicity (52%) and calcifications (52%). Lesions in MTCs were larger than those in PTCs but this difference was not statistically significant. An ovoid to round shape was more prevalent in MTC lesions than PTC lesions and this was the only statistically significant difference (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Currently accepted sonographic criteria can be applied for a diagnosis of MTCs. The US findings for MTC are not greatly different from PTC except for the prevalence of an ovoid to round shape in the former.