Ultrasound Criteria for Nodules Apply to Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Ultrasound Criteria for Nodules Apply to Medullary Thyroid Cancer

The interobserver agreement for the ATA classification was also good. Most observers classed 80% of the nodules as having a high suspicion, 17% of the nodules as having an intermediate suspicion, and 3% of the nodules as having a low suspicion for cancer.

ATA Classification of
Thyroid Nodules Based on Sonographic Patterns*

Classification	Description
High suspicion	Solid hypoechoic nodule or part of a partially cystic nodules with at least one other suspicious feature (irregular margins, microcalcifications, taller than wide shape, rim calcifications or extrathyroidal extensions)
Intermediate suspicion	Hypoechoic solid nodules without any other suspicious features
Low suspicion	Isoechoic or hyperechoic solid or partly cystic nodules with solid eccentric areas, without other suspicious features
Very low suspicion	Spongiform or partly cystic nodules without solid eccentric areas, without any other suspicious features
Benign	Pure cystic nodule