ArticleUltrasound (Leeds, England)2021
Ultrasound grading of thyroid nodules using the BTA U-scoring guidelines - Is there evidence of intra-and interobserver variability?
Article in Ultrasound (Leeds, England), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Reviewing secondary outcomes of the ElaTION trial for thyroid nodules.Gland surgery · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the departmental inter-rater reliability when scoring thyroid nodules according to the British Thyroid Association Ultrasound-classification model: Is there significant disagreement?Ultrasound (Leeds, England) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionU-score ultrasound classification (graded U1-U5) is widely used to grade thyroid nodules based on benign and malignant sonographic features. It is well established that ultrasound is an operator-dependent imaging modality and thus more susceptible to subjective variances between operators when using imaging-based scoring systems. We aimed to assess whether there is any intra- or interobserver variability when U-scoring thyroid nodules and whether previous thyroid ultrasound experience has an effect on this variability.
methodsA total of 14 ultrasound operators were identified (five experienced thyroid operators, five with intermediate experience and four with no experience) and were asked to U-score images from 20 thyroid cases shown as a single projection, with and without Doppler flow. The cases were subsequently rescored by the 14 operators after six weeks. The first and second round U-scores for the three operator groups were then analysed using Fleiss' kappa to assess interobserver variability and Cochran's Q test to determine any intraobserver variability.
resultsWe found no significant interobserver variability on combined assessment of all operators with fair agreement in round 1 (Fleiss' kappa = 0.30,
conclusionsWe found no statistically significant inter- or intraobserver variability in the U-scoring of thyroid nodules between all participants reinforcing the validity of this scoring method in clinical practice, allaying concerns regarding potential subjective biases in reporting.
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