Table 3 Characteristics of the patients and US according to the BRAF mutation and concurrent HT status.
Characteristics | Total PTCs (n = 438) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
With HT, n = 163 (37.2%) | P value | Without HT, n = 275 (62.8%) | P value | |||
BRAF (+) | BRAF (−) | BRAF (+) | BRAF (−) | |||
n = 136 (83.4%) | n = 27 (16.6%) | n = 243 (88.4%) | n = 32 (11.6%) | |||
Age | ||||||
Mean ± SD (y) | 47.1 ± 14.2 (20–84) | 43.7 ± 11.2 (23–65) | 0.171 | 47.5 ± 13.5 (20–80) | 41.3 ± 13.2 (10–67) | 0.015 |
<50/≥50 y | 72 (52.9)/64 (47.1) | 18 (66.7)/9 (33.3) | 0.190 | 127 (52.3)/116(47.7) | 22 (68.8)/10 (31.2) | 0.078 |
Gender | ||||||
Male/female | 23 (16.9)/113 (83.1) | 4 (14.8)/23 (85.2) | 1.000 | 68 (28)/175 (72) | 5 (15.6)/27 (84.4) | 0.137 |
Size on US | ||||||
Mean ± SD (mm) | 11.6 ± 5.9 (5–33) | 12.4 ± 9.4 (4–44) | 0.670 | 11.8 ± 9.8 (3–84) | 10.3 ± 7.4 (3–35) | 0.382 |
≤10/>10 mm | 71 (52.2)/65 (47.8) | 14 (51.9)/13 (48.1) | 0.973 | 148 (60.9)/95 (39.1) | 23 (71.9)/9 (28.1) | 0.229 |
Location | ||||||
Upper/middle/low/mixed | 14 (10.3)/32 (23.5)/12 (8.8)/78 (57.4) | 2 (7.4)/7 (25.9)/1(3.7)/17 (63) | 0.775 | 26 (10.7)/51 (21)/15 (6.2)/151 (62.1) | 1 (3.1)/8 (25)/2 (6.2)/21 (65.6) | 0.589 |
Nodule number | ||||||
Single/multiple | 51 (37.5)/85 (62.5) | 9 (33.3)/18 (66.7) | 0.682 | 85 (35)/158 (65) | 9 (28.1)/23(71.9) | 0.442 |
Nodule distribution | ||||||
Unilateral/bilateral | 62 (45.6)/74 (54.4) | 12 (44.4)/15 (55.6) | 0.913 | 111 (45.7)/132 (54.3) | 15 (46.9)/17 (53.1) | 0.898 |
Capsule contact | ||||||
Yes/no | 40 (29.4)/96 (70.6) | 9 (33.3)/18 (66.7) | 0.685 | 88 (36.2)/155 (63.8) | 7 (21.9)/25 (78.1) | 0.109 |
Capsule involvement | ||||||
Yes/no | 9 (6.6)/127 (93.4) | 4 (14.8)/23 (85.2) | 0.295 | 18 (7.4)/225 (92.6) | 1(3.1)/31 (96.9) | 0.598 |
Echogenicity | ||||||
Hypo-/iso- or hypergenicity | 357 (94.2)/22 (5.8) | 53(89.8)/6 (10.2) | 0.323 | 357 (94.2)/22 (5.8) | 53 (89.8)/6 (10.2) | 0.323 |
Internal component | ||||||
Solid/cystic-solid | 132 (97.1)/4 (2.9) | 23 (85.2)/4 (14.8) | 0.034 | 231 (95.1)/12 (4.9) | 30 (93.8)/2 (6.2) | 1.000 |
Shape | ||||||
Regular/irregular | 44 (32.4)/92 (67.6) | 9 (33.3)/18 (66.7) | 0.921 | 110 (45.3)/133 (54.7) | 10 (31.2)/22 (68.8) | 0.133 |
Margin | ||||||
Ill-defined/well-defined | 67 (49.3)/69 (50.7) | 12 (44.4)/15 (55.6) | 0.647 | 97 (39.9)/146 (60.1) | 16 (50)/16 (50) | 0.276 |
Calcification | ||||||
Micro-/macro-/no calcification | 78 (57.4)/9 (6.6)/49 (36) | 17 (63)/3 (11.1)/7 (25.9) | 0.494 | 132 (54.3)/13 (5.3)/98 (40.3) | 42 (71.2)/4 (6.8)/13 (22) | 0.038 |
Ratio of height and width | ||||||
Taller than wide/wider than tall | 36 (26.5)/100 (73.5) | 6 (22.2)/21 (77.8) | 0.645 | 69 (28.4)/174 (71.6) | 12 (37.5)/20 (62.5) | 0.288 |
Vascularity | ||||||
Absent/slight/rich | 53 (39)/78 (57.4)/5 (3.7) | 8(29.6)/18 (66.7)/1 (3.7) | 0.651 | 82 (33.7)/153 (63)/8 (3.3) | 13 (40.6)/19 (59.4)/0 (0) | 0.473 |
Blood flow distribution | ||||||
Absent/internal/peripheral/mixed | 53 (39)/49 (36)/10 (7.4)/24 (17.6) | 8 (29.6)/10 (37)/2 (7.4)/7 (25.9) | 0.719 | 82 (33.7)/89 (36.6)/14 (5.8)/58 (23.9) | 13 (40.6)/12 (37.5)/2 (6.2)/5 (15.6) | 0.743 |
