ArticleAmerican journal of translational research2025
Application and limitations of ultrasound for the early diagnosis of thyroid cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in American journal of translational research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with other imaging techniques in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules: a network meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Pooled it
- Beyond Size: Integrating Ultrasonographic Features and FNAB Cytology to Predict Thyroid Malignancy-A Retrospective, Single-Center Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo systematically evaluate the diagnostic performance of high-frequency ultrasound and its sonographic features in the early detection of thyroid cancer through a meta-analysis.
methodsA comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for studies published up to December 31, 2024. Studies assessing the diagnostic performance of high-frequency ultrasound and ultrasound-guided procedures for thyroid cancer were included based on predefined criteria. Extracted data included sensitivity, specificity, and the diagnostic relevance of sonographic features (e.g., nodule size, margin irregularity, echogenicity, calcifications, and vascularity). Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool. Meta-analytic methods were applied to pool diagnostic accuracy measures. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots.
resultsA total of 14 studies were included. Combined diagnostic approaches, particularly high-frequency ultrasound combined with ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB), demonstrated high sensitivity (ranging from 0.814 to 0.975) and specificity (ranging from 0.833 to 0.976). Key sonographic features significantly associated with malignancy included hypoechogenicity, microcalcifications, and irregular margins. Pooled analysis showed that microcalcifications and irregular margins were strong predictors for malignancy, with an overall Peto odds ratios (OR) of 39.47 [28.88, 53.94] for irregular margins (P<0.001). Minimal publication bias was observed for most features, although mild asymmetry was noted in analyses involving microcalcifications.
conclusionHigh-frequency ultrasound, particularly when combined with ultrasound-guided biopsy or contrast-enhanced ultrasound, provides high diagnostic accuracy for thyroid cancer. Specific features, such as hypoechogenicity, microcalcifications, and irregular margins, are valuable in differentiating malignant from benign thyroid nodules. Future studies should aim to standardize ultrasound-based diagnostic criteria and explore the use of multimodal imaging techniques to improve early thyroid cancer detection.
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