Incidental Thyroid Nodules on Computed Tomography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining Prevalence, Follow-Up, and Risk of Malignancy
Authors' conclusion
Most thyroid incidentalomas identified on CT are benign.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with thyroid incidentalomas detected by computed tomography (CT); studies in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane published before April 12, 2024
- Participants
- 195,959 patients38 studies
- Outcome
- Prevalence, follow-up practices and malignancy rates (ROM) of thyroid incidentalomas detected by CT
Methodological detailsrandom-effects model, pooled proportion, subgroup analyses by incidentaloma size, CT area and age, Risk of bias assessed with RoB 2 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale
- Random-effects model
- Pooled proportion
- Subgroup analyses by incidentaloma size, CT area and age
- Risk of bias assessed with RoB 2 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas on CT
Prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas on CT
8.3%
CI 7.4–9.3
Risk of malignancy, 25 studies, 6272 patients
3.9%
CI 3.0–4.9
Further pooled results
Percent
Neck CT
16.5%(CI 11.0–22.1)
Chest CT
6.6%(CI 5.3–7.9)
- Higher in neck CT
Percent
≥1 cm
11.7%(CI 3.9–19.4)
≥1.5 cm
24.9%(CI 0–52.7)
<1 cm
0.1%(CI 0–0.8)
<1.5 cm
0%(CI 0–0.2)
- Higher risk of malignancy (ROM) in larger nodules
Nodule characteristics
- Multiple incidentalomas
- 27.0% (CI 12.9-41.1)
- Nodules ≥1 cm
- 46.3% (CI 32.3-60.3)
- Nodules ≥1.5 cm
- 28.6% (CI 19.9-37.3)
Follow-up
- Thyroid US
- 34.9% (CI 26.1-43.7)
- Biopsy
- 28.4% (CI 19.9-36.9)
- Surgery
- 8.2% (CI 2.1-14.4)
Original publication
Incidental Thyroid Nodules on Computed Tomography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining Prevalence, Follow-Up, and Risk of Malignancy. Thyroid. Published 27 September 2024. doi:10.
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