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Table 1 The diagnostic performance of sonographic criteria for metastatic lymph nodes in 109 patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

From: How the preoperative ultrasound examination and BFI of the cervical lymph nodes modify the therapeutic treatment in patients with papillary thyroid cancer

US features

Total lymph nodes 767

Metastatic lymph nodes 329

Sensitivity (%)

Specificity (%)

P

PPV

NPV

Round shape

Short to long Axis (diameter ratio > 0.5)

235

173

52.6

85.8

Χ2 130.5

P 0.0000

73.6

70.7

Abnormal echogenicity

371

271

82.4

77.2

Χ2 366.5

P 0.0000

73

85.4

Absent Hilum

512

304

92.4

52.5

Χ2 170.8

P 0.0000

59.4

90.2

Calcification

120

118

35.9

99.5

Χ2 178.5

P 0.0000

98.3

67.4

Cystic change

79

79

24

100

Χ2 117.2

P 0.0000

100

63.7

Peripheral vascularity

313

163

49.5

65.8

Χ2 18.2

P 0.0000

52.1

63.4

BFI-TS

309

307

81.5

99.5

Χ2 673.4

P 0.0000

99.3

95.2

  1. US, Ultrasound; LNs lymph nodes ; PPV, Positive predictive value; NPV, Negative predictive value; BFI-TS, B-Flow imaging twinkling s ign.