Macrocalcification features in solid hypoechoic thyroid nodules

To evaluate differences in the ultrasonic characteristics of macrocalcifications between benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

This study retrospectively collected and analyzed the case data of patients diagnosed at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University in China's Hebei Province between May 2019 and August 2023. Nodules were divided into two groups: benign (n = 238) and malignant (n = 314). A χ² test was used to compare differences in ultrasound characteristics (gender, age, nodule size, margin, orientation, calcification morphology, calcification location and calcification number) between the two groups. Binary regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between macrocalcification characteristics in the thyroid and benign or malignant thyroid nodules before and after removing confounding factors (including gender, age and nodule size).

The morphology (p < 0.001), location (p < 0.001) and number (p < 0.001) of macrocalcifications were different between the benign and malignant solid hypoechoic thyroid nodules. Multiple calcifications, central calcifications, discontinuous eggshell-like calcifications, irregular calcifications and multi-layered calcifications were shown to be risk factors for thyroid cancer in macrocalcifications.

The morphology, location and number of macrocalcifications are valuable ultrasonographic features for distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules.