Table 1 Clinicopathologic and US features of cervical CLNM in PTC patients. N = number of papillary thyroid carcinoma; CLNM = central lymph node metastasis; PTC = papillary thyroid carcinoma
Characteristics | Total PTC with or without cervical LNM(N = 112) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
|  | Positive (N = 65) | Negative (N = 47) |  |
Age | 39.82 ± 10.29 | 47.28 ± 11.44 | P = 0.006 |
   < 55 years | 56 (86.2%) | 30 (63.8%) |  |
    ≥ 55 years | 9 (13.8%) | 17 (36.2%) |  |
Gender | P = 0.838 | ||
   Male | 21 (32.3%) | 14 (29.8%) |  |
   Female | 44 (67.7%) | 33 (70.2%) | |
Tumor size | 12 ± 4.6 mm | 9.8 ± 4.6 mm | P = 0.001 |
    > 10 mm | 42 (64.6%) | 15 (31.9%) |  |
    ≤ 10 mm | 23 (35.4%) | 32 (68.1%) |  |
Multifocality | P = 0.832 | ||
   Multifocal | 18 (27.7%) | 12 (25.5%) |  |
   Unifocal | 47 (72.3%) | 35 (74.5%) |  |
Location |  |  | P = 0.619 |
   Left | 35 (53.8%) | 21 (44.7%) |  |
   Right | 26 (40%) | 23 (48.9%) |  |
   Isthmus | 4 (6.2%) | 3 (6.4%) |  |
Internal component | P = 1.000 | ||
   Solid | 61 (93.8%) | 44 (93.6%) |  |
   Cystic | 4 (6.2%) | 3 (6.4%) |  |
Marked hypo-/hypo-echogenicity | P = 1.000 | ||
   Present | 55 (84.6%) | 40 (85.1%) |  |
   Absent | 10 (15.4%) | 7 (14.9%) | |
Microcalcification | P = 0.007 | ||
   Present | 51 (78.5%) | 25 (53.2%) |  |
   Absent | 14 (21.5%) | 22 (46.8%) |  |
Margin | P = 0.555 | ||
   Irregular/lobulated | 42 (64.6%) | 27 (57.4%) |  |
   Regular | 23 (35.4%) | 20 (42.6%) |  |
Orientation | P = 0.838 | ||
   Non-parallel | 21 (32.3%) | 14 (29.8%) |  |
   Parallel | 44 (67.7%) | 33 (70.2%) | |
Taller than wide | P = 0.705 | ||
   Present | 28 (43.1%) | 22 (46.8%) |  |
   Absent | 37 (56.9%) | 25 (53.2%) |  |
T stage |  |  | P = 0.180 |
   T1 | 29 (44.6%) | 29 (61.7%) |  |
   T2 | 35 (53.8%) | 17 (36.2%) |  |
   T3/T4 | 1 (1.5%) | 1 (2.1%) |  |
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis | P = 0.008 | ||
   Concomitant | 7 (10.8%) | 15 (31.9%) |  |
   Non-concomitant | 58 (89.2%) | 32 (68.1%) |  |
Internal vascularity | P = 0.846 | ||
   Present | 27 (41.5%) | 18 (38.3%) |  |
   Absent | 38 (58.5%) | 29 (61.7%) |  |
BRAF mutation | P = 0.007 | ||
   Positive | 40 (61.5%) | 16 (34.0%) |  |
   Negative | 25 (38.5%) | 31 (66.0%) |  |