Dependence of Thyroid Sonographic Markers of Malignancy and Its Influence on the Diagnostic Value of Sonographic Findings

Table 4

Relative risks (RRs), sensitivities, and specificities of selected panels composed of three or four markers of malignancy.

Feature 1	Feature 2	Feature 3	Feature 4	Risk ratio	Sensitivity	Specificity
Best panels composed of four features
Elast	Micro	Ttw	Irreg margins	25.3 (4.5–143.7)	13.6%	99.5%
Elast	Hypo	Ttw	Irreg margins	42.2 (8.7–205.2)	22.7%	99.5%
Elast	Micr	Ttw	Solid	25.3 (4.5–143.7)	13.6%	99.5%
Elast	Ttw	Irreg margins	Solid	28.1 (7.2–110.1)	22.7%	99.2%
Elast	Micr	Irreg margins	Solid	16.9 (7.0–40.7)	36.4%	97.8%
Elast	Hypo	Ttw	Solid	28.1 (7.2–110.1)	22.7%	99.2%
Best panels composed of three features
Elast	Ttw	Irreg marg	x	16.9 (3.6–78.8)	13.6%	99.2%
Elast	Ttw	Solid	x	10.9 (5.8–20.4)	50.0%	95.4%
Elast	Ttw	Hypo	x	20.2 (6.7–61.2)	27.3%	98.7%
Elast	Irreg	Hypo	x	12.6 (6.9–23.3)	54.5%	95.7%
Selected panels including dependent features
Elast	Hypo	Micr	Macr	nc	0.0%	97.8%
Elast	Hypo	Macr	Irreg margins	4.2 (0.9–18.7)	9.1%	97.8%
Elast	Micr	Macr	Ttw	nc	0.0%	99.5%
Elast	Micr	Macr	Solid	2.4 (0.3–18.7)	4.5%	98.1%
Elast	Macr	Irreg margins	Solid	4.2 (0.9–18.7)	9.1%	97.8%
Micr	Macr	Ttw	x	nc	0.0%	99.5%
Micr	Macr	Elast	x	1.7 (0.2–12.6)	4.5%	97.3%

Elast: increased stiffness in elastographic examination (mean stiffness ≥ 38 kPa). Hypo: hypoechogenicity. Ttw: “taller-than-wide” feature. Micr: microcalcifications. Macr: macrocalcifications. Irreg margins: irregular margins. Solid: solid character of the lesion; nc: not calculable (none of the cancers possessed all features included in the panel).