Changes in the Volume and Diameter of Benign Thyroid Nodules: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors' conclusion
In long-term follow-ups of sonographically and/or cytologically benign thyroid nodules, SNG is not rare. Growth is more likely in younger patients, those with higher number of nodules and smaller nodules. In the follow-up of nodule size, VBCs yield augmented results compared with DBCs. However, malignancy is quite rare in growing nodules.
Study context
- Population
- Euthyroid patients with cytologically benign and/or sonographically low-to-intermediate risk thyroid nodules, Ankara University; evaluations at baseline, 5th and 10th years732 nodules
- Participants
- 376 patients
- Exposure
- Volume-based criterion (VBC) vs diameter-based criterion (DBC) for significant nodule growth
- Outcome
- Rate of and factors associated with significant nodule growth (SNG); diameter vs volume-based assessment; association of SNG with malignancy
- Follow-up
- 10 years
Methodological detailssingle-centre, 10-year follow-up, same experienced sonographer
- Single-centre
- 10-year follow-up
- Same experienced sonographer
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
SNG frequency · 10th year
P < 0.01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
SNG frequency · 5th year · McNemar test
P < 0.01
Factors associated with significant nodule growth (SNG) (generalized linear mixed-effects models)
- Age <45 years, VBC: OR 1.704, CI 1.227-2.366
- P = 0.002
- Age <45 years, DBC: OR 1.913, CI 1.379-2.656
- P < 0.001
- Higher number of nodules, VBC: OR 1.171, CI 1.061-1.291
- P = 0.002
- Higher number of nodules, DBC: OR 1.147, CI 1.040-1.265
- P = 0.006
- Nodule volume, VBC: OR 0.870, CI 0.806-0.940 (smaller volume associated with SNG)
- P < 0.001
- Nodule volume, DBC: OR 0.912, CI 0.850-0.978 (smaller volume associated with SNG)
- P = 0.010
Malignancy
- Thyroid cancer in original nodules
- 4 (0.5%)
- Malignancy rate in biopsies performed
- 1.4% (n = 4)
Original publication
Changes in the Volume and Diameter of Benign Thyroid Nodules: A 10-Year Follow-Up Study. Thyroid. Published 18 December 2024. doi:10.
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