Table 2 Distribution of clinicopathological characteristics in the subclinical metastasis group and the clinical metastasis group
Characteristics | Overall N(%) | Subclinical metastasis group | Clinical metastasis group | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nonmetastasis N(%) | Metastasis N(%) | Nonmetastasis N(%) | Metastasis N(%) | ||
Sample size | 477 | 238 | 166 | 13 | 60 |
Sex | |||||
 Male | 124 (26.0) | 53 (22.27) | 47 (28.31) | 3 (23.08) | 21 (35.00) |
 Female | 353 (74.0) | 185 (77.73) | 119 (71.69) | 10 (76.92) | 39 (65.00) |
Age (years) | |||||
  < 45 | 234 (49.1) | 85 (35.71) | 99 (59.64) | 3 (23.08) | 47 (78.33) |
  ≥ 45 | 243(50.9) | 153 (64.29) | 67 (40.36) | 10 (76.92) | 13 (21.67) |
Combined benign thyroid disease | |||||
 No | 257 (53.9) | 121 (50.84) | 96 (57.83) | 7 (53.85) | 33 (55.00) |
 Nodular goiter | 133 (27.9) | 70 (29.41) | 42 (25.30) | 3 (23.08) | 18 (30.00) |
 Lymphocytic thyroiditis | 66 (13.8) | 32 (13.45) | 24 (14.46) | 2 (15.38) | 8 (13.33) |
 Both | 21 (4.4) | 15 (6.30) | 4 (2.41) | 1 (7.69) | 1 (1.67) |
Surgical method | |||||
 Unilateral | 230 (48.2) | 119 (50.00) | 77 (46.39) | 4 (30.77) | 30 (50.00) |
 Total | 247 (51.8) | 119 (50.00) | 89 (53.61) | 9 (69.23) | 30 (50.00) |
BRAF V600E gene mutation | |||||
 No | 97 (20.3) | 76 (31.93) | 14 (8.43) | 4 (30.77) | 3 (5.00) |
 Yes | 380 (79.7) | 162 (68.07) | 152 (91.57) | 9 (69.23) | 57 (95.00) |
Maximum diameter of thyroid nodules | |||||
  < 10 mm | 207 (43.4) | 132 (55.46) | 61 (36.75) | 5 (38.46) | 9 (15.00) |
 10–20 mm | 201 (42.1) | 86 (36.13) | 79 (47.59) | 8 (61.54) | 28 (46.67) |
  > 20 mm | 69 (14.5) | 20 (8.40) | 26 (15.66) | 0 (0.00) | 23 (38.33) |
Nodule location | |||||
 Upper 1/3 | 98 (20.6) | 49 (20.59) | 30 (18.07) | 4 (30.77) | 15 (25.00) |
 Middle 1/3 | 145 (30.4) | 75 (31.51) | 51 (30.72) | 4 (30.77) | 15 (25.00) |
 Lower 1/3 | 76 (15.9) | 34 (14.29) | 32 (19.28) | 2 (15.38) | 8 (13.33) |
 Isthmus | 62 (13.0) | 33 (13.87) | 23 (13.86) | 2 (15.38) | 4 (6.67) |
 Whole | 96 (20.1) | 47 (19.75) | 30 (18.07) | 1 (7.69) | 18 (30.00) |
Aspect Ratio | |||||
  < 1 | 274 (57.4) | 132 (55.46) | 98 (59.04) | 7 (53.85) | 37 (61.67) |
  ≥ 1 | 203 (42.6) | 106 (44.54) | 68 (40.96) | 6 (46.15) | 23 (38.33) |
Microcalcification | |||||
 No | 123 (25.8) | 70 (29.41) | 40 (24.10) | 2 (15.38) | 11 (18.33) |
 Yes | 354 (74.2) | 168 (70.59) | 126 (75.90) | 11 (84.62) | 49 (81.67) |
Nodule boundary | |||||
 Clear | 192 (40.3) | 103 (43.28) | 63 (37.95) | 5 (38.46) | 21 (35.00) |
 Blurred | 285 (59.7) | 135 (56.72) | 103 (62.05) | 8 (61.54) | 39 (65.00) |
Capsular invasion | |||||
 No | 268 (56.2) | 143 (60.08) | 92 (55.42) | 10 (76.92) | 23 (38.33) |
 Close | 63 (13.2) | 39 (16.39) | 20 (12.05) | 0 (0.00) | 4 (6.67) |
 Invasion | 146 (30.6) | 56 (23.53) | 54 (32.53) | 3 (23.08) | 33 (55.00) |
Number of lesions | |||||
 Unifocal | 339 (71.1) | 177 (74.37) | 116 (69.88) | 9 (69.23) | 37 (61.67) |
 Multifocal | 138 (28.9) | 61 (25.63) | 50 (30.12) | 4 (30.77) | 23 (38.33) |
ACR-TIRADS classification | Â | ||||
 3 | 19 (4.00) | 7 (2.94) | 9 (5.42) | 0 (0.00) | 3 (5.00) |
 4a | 268 (56.2) | 136 (57.14) | 92 (55.42) | 11 (84.62) | 29 (48.33) |
 4b | 149 (31.2) | 70 (29.41) | 55 (33.13) | 2 (15.38) | 22 (36.67) |
 4c | 27 (5.66) | 18 (7.56) | 5 (3.01) | 0 (0.00) | 4 (6.67) |
 5 | 12 (2.52) | 6 (2.52) | 5 (3.01) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (1.67) |
 6 | 2 (0.42) | 1 (0.42) | 0 (0.00) | 0 (0.00) | 1 (1.67) |