Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>Background: The American College of Radiology (ACR) TI-RADS is a standardized scoring system for thyroid ultrasound reports providing recommendations on the need for fine needle aspirations (FNAs) independent of patient presentation. Aim: The aim of this audit was to determine if the initial presentation of the patient should be considered during the work-up of thyroid nodules. Methods: Data was collected from electronic medical records on 133 patients who underwent thyroid FNAs (165 FNAs in total) and 98 patients who had thyroid surgery for the management of thyroid nodules at Gold Coast University Hospital from Jan 1st 2019 – Dec 31st 2019. Patient presentation, adequacy of the ultrasound report and FNA results were recorded. These results were aligned with final diagnosis after surgery. Results: 98 patients underwent surgery and 29 (29.6%) were found to have malignant nodules, including 12 (12.2%) with microcarcinomas. Of the 29 malignancies, 16 patients presented with a palpable neck lump. Conclusions: Our data suggests a palpable neck lump is a significant factor in determining the risk of malignancy. It may be possible to adjust the current TI-RADS algorithm used to interpret thyroid ultrasounds to include patient presentation. This would reduce unnecessary testing and burden on the healthcare system.</jats:p>