Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40335136›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Machine learning model for differentiating malignant from benign thyroid nodules based on the thyroid function data.

Fuqiang Ma, Fengchang Yu, Shenhui Lv, Lihua Zhang, Zhilin Lu, Quan Zhou, He-Rong Mao, Lele Zhang, Nan Xiang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Fuqiang Ma *Department of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine,The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7792-7432
Fengchang Yu *Wuhan University, School of Information Management, Wuhan, China.
Shenhui Lv *Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Lihua ZhangHuanggang Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huanggang, Hubei, China.
Zhilin LuHubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Quan ZhouHubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
He-Rong MaoHubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China 2727@hbucm.edu.cn 876758328@qq.com mhr1752@hbucm.edu.cn.
Lele ZhangDepartment of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine,The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China 2727@hbucm.edu.cn 876758328@qq.com mhr1752@hbucm.edu.cn.
Nan XiangHubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, Hubei, China 2727@hbucm.edu.cn 876758328@qq.com mhr1752@hbucm.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0347-1580

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model to differentiate malignant from benign thyroid nodules (TNs) based on the routine data and provide diagnostic assistance for medical professionals.

settingA qualified panel of 1649 patients with TNs from one hospital were stratified by gender, age, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAB).

participantsThyroid function (TF) data of 1649 patients with TNs were collected in a single centre from January 2018 to June 2022, with a total of 273 males and 1376 females, respectively. MEASURES: Seven popular ML models (Random Forest, Decision Tree, Logistic Regression (LR), K-Neighbours, Gaussian Naive Bayes, Multilayer Perception and Gradient Boosting) were developed to predict malignant and benign TNs, whose performance indicators included area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, recall, precision and F1 score.

resultsA total of 1649 patients were enrolled in this study, with the median age of 45.15±13.41 years, and the male to female ratio was 1:5.055. In the multivariate LR analysis, statistically significant differences existed between the TNs group and thyroid cancer group in gender, age, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and TPOAB. Among the seven tested ML models, the best performance was achieved in the Gradient Boosting model in terms of precision, AUC, accuracy, recall and F1 score, with the AUC of 0.82, accuracy of 79.4% and precision of 0.814 after experimental verification. FT4, TPOAB and FT3 were validated as the top three features in the Gradient Boosting model.

conclusionsThis study innovatively developed a predictive model for benign and malignant TNs based on the Gradient Boosting Decision Tree algorithm. For the first time, it validated the clinical predictive value of TF parameters (FT4, FT3) and TPOAB as key biomarkers.

Indexed as

Machine LearningThyroid NeoplasmsThyroid NoduleAdultAgedAutoantibodiesDiagnosis, DifferentialFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedThyroid Function TestsThyroid GlandThyroxineTriiodothyronineAutoantibodiesThyroxineTriiodothyronineDIABETES & ENDOCRINOLOGYMachine LearningThyroid disease

Identifiers

PMID40335136
PMCPMC12060893

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.