Limitations of ultrasound in predicting bilaterality vs unilaterality of well-differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of ultrasonography in the differentiation of a bilateral and a unilateral WDTC to help physicians decide on performing a total or a partial thyroidectomy.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma following a total thyroidectomy or a complete thyroidectomy between January 2013 and December 2015 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery in Soroka University Medical Center in southern Israel. The preoperative ultrasound images of the thyroid were compared to the final pathology in the contralateral lobe.

Results: Seventy seven patients (77) were included in this study, There was no correlation between the sonography in the contralateral lobe and the malignancy on that side (p = 0.479). US had a 39% false negative rate and 69% false positive rate.

Conclusion: The patients with a well-differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid, a benign nodule detected sonographically in the contralateral lobe should not bear a high weight in decision making regarding the extent of surgery.