Observational studyEndocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists2023
Drivers of Thyroid Ultrasound Use: A Retrospective Observational Study.
Observational study in Endocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Variation and potential overuse in thyroid ultrasound ordering: exploratory insights from a clinician survey.Endocrine · 2026Article
- Unravelling the rise in thyroid cancer incidence and addressing overdiagnosis.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2026Review
- Evaluating the Total Healthcare Cost of Inappropriately Ordered Thyroid Ultrasounds.Journal of the Endocrine Society · 2025Article
- Review
- GLP-1RA Use and Thyroid Cancer Risk.JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery · 2025Article
- Differences and analogies in thyroid cancer discovered incidentally or by thyroid related screening: A multicenter study.European thyroid journal · 2025Article
- Examining Why Thyroid Cancer Incidence Is High in Women.Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveExcessive use of thyroid ultrasound (TUS) contributes to the overdiagnosis of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. In this study, we evaluated drivers of and clinical trajectories following TUS orders.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective review of 500 adult patients who underwent an initial TUS between 2015 and 2017 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. A framework was employed to classify the indication for TUS, and it was characterized as inappropriate when ordered without a guideline-based indication. Medical records were reviewed for up to 12 months following the TUS, and clinical outcomes were evaluated.
resultsThe mean age mean age (SD) was 53.6 years (16.6), 63.8% female, and 86.6% white. TUS orders were triggered by incidental findings on unrelated imaging (31.6%), thyroid symptoms (20.4%), thyroid abnormalities on routine physical examination (17.2%), and thyroid dysfunction workup (11.8%). In females and males, the most common reason were incidental findings on imaging (female, 91/319, 28.5% and male, 67/181, 37.0%). In primary care practice, TUS orders were mostly triggered by symptoms (71/218, 32.5%), while thyroid dysfunction workup was the primary reason in endocrinology (28/100, 28.0%). We classified 11.2% (56/500) TUS orders as likely to have been ordered inappropriately based on current guidelines. Finally, 119 patients (119/500, 23.8%) had a thyroid biopsy with 11.8% had thyroid cancer (14/119. 11.8%).
conclusionsIncidental findings on imaging, symptoms, and routine physical exam findings in asymptomatic patients were the most prevalent drivers of TUS. Furthermore, 1 in 10 TUS were likely inappropriately ordered based on current practice guidelines.
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