Table 3 The characteristic of benign and malignant nodules

n = 72(%)*

n = 1197(%)*

P value

Site

 Isthmic thyroid nodule

1 (2.5)

39 (97.5)

0.360

 Left thyroid nodule

38 (6.6)

541 (93.4)

 Right thyroid nodule

33 (5.1)

617 (94.9)

Elastography

 1

0 (0)

103 (100)

 < 0.001

 2

16 (1.6)

977 (98.4)

 3

26 (19)

111 (81)

 4

30 (83.3)

6 (16.7)

AP/T

  < 1

58 (4.6)

1192 (95.4)

 < 0.001

  ≥ 1

14 (73.7)

5 (26.3)

Number of nodule

 Solitary thyroid nodule

19 (14)

117 (86)

 < 0.001

 MNG

53 (4.7)

1080 (95.3)

Nodule character

 Solitary

19 (14)

117 (86)

 < 0.001

 Dominant

43 (4)

1024 (96)

 Smaller nodule

10 (15.2)

56 (84.8)

Echogenicity (hypo, hyper, iso)

 Isoechoic

5 (2.4)

202 (97.6)

 < 0.001

 Hyperechoic

1 (0.4)

242 (99.6)

 Hypoechoic

48 (6.8)

658 (93.2)

 Markedly hypoechoic

16 (94.1)

1 (5.9)

 Heterogeneous

1 (3)

32 (97)

 Cystic

0 (0)

12 (100)

 Complex cystic

1 (2.1)

47 (97.9)

Border (regular, irregular)

 Regular

34 (2.8)

1188 (97.2)

 < 0.001

 Irregular

38 (80.9)

9 (19.1)

Halo

 No

47 (11.4)

366 (88.6)

 < 0.001

 Yes

25 (2.9)

831 (97.1)

Breakdown

 No

65 (8.4)

709 (91.6)

 < 0.001

 Yes

7 (1.4)

488 (98.6)

Calcification

 No

16 (1.8)

872 (98.2)

 < 0.001

 Yes

56 (14.7)

325 (85.3)

Calcification type

 No

16 (1.8)

872 (98.2)

 < 0.001

 Microcalcifications

33 (12.5)

232 (87.5)

 Egg shell calcifications

0 (0)

17 (100)

 Partial egg shell calcifications

3 (42.9)

4 (57.1)

 Patches of calcifications

5 (6.6)

71 (93.4)

 Punctate calcifications

15 (93.8)

1 (6.3)

TIRADS

 2

0 (0)

15 (100)

 < 0.001

 3

1 (0.3)

367 (99.7)

 4

9 (1.8)

502 (98.2)

 5

62 (17.6)

292 (82.5)

Median (range)

SR

5.2 (1.1–64.3)

1.2 (0.1–87)

 < 0.001

Largest diameter

19 (8–45)

18 (2–55)

0.243