Ultrasound Follow-Up of Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Scoping Review
Authors' conclusion
This scoping review found that evidence comparing different ultrasound follow-up intervals in patients with benign thyroid nodules is limited to one observational study, but suggests that the subsequent development of thyroid malignancies is very uncommon regardless of follow-up interval. Longer follow-up may be associated with more repeat biopsies and thyroidectomies, which could be related to more interval nodule growth that meets thresholds for further evaluation.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with cytologically benign thyroid nodules and very low to intermediate suspicion US patterns; Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central searched through August 20221 retrospective cohort
- Participants
- 1,254 patients
- Comparison
- >4-year vs 1- to 2-year interval to first follow-up US; discontinuation vs continuation of US follow-up
- >4 yearsn = 223
- 1–2 yearsn = 715reference
- Outcome
- Missed thyroid cancers
Methodological detailsqualitative evidence synthesis, quality assessment, Included study did not describe US patterns or control for confounders; analyses based on interval to first follow-up US only, Did not control for variability in follow-up duration; unclear attrition
- Qualitative evidence synthesis
- Quality assessment
- Included study did not describe US patterns or control for confounders; analyses based on interval to first follow-up US only
- Did not control for variability in follow-up duration; unclear attrition
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Likelihood of malignancy
Further findings
≥50% nodule growth
Repeat fine needle aspiration
Thyroidectomy
Cancer-related deaths
- No cancer-related deaths occurred
Discontinuation vs continuation of US follow-up
- No study compared discontinuation vs continuation of US follow-up
Original publication
Ultrasound Follow-Up of Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Scoping Review. Thyroid. Published 17 March 2023. doi:10.
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