As thyroid B ultrasound has become a routine item in physical examinations, more and more people have found that thyroid nodules are found. Some people are "feared when talking about thyroid nodules", especially when B-ultrasound indicates calcification of thyroid nodules, they are even more "feared when talking about calcium". Many people think that calcification of thyroid nodules is thyroid cancer . Is this true?
1. Why does thyroid nodules have calcification?
Thyroid calcification refers to calcium deposition in thyroid nodules.
Calcification is a product of thyroid tissue metabolism, which is deposited by calcium salt. Calcification can occur in both normal thyroid tissue and thyroid cancer foci.
2, Thyroid nodule calcification classification
Calcification can be divided into shape and size, and its meanings are also different.
is distinguished according to its size and diameter. There are two types:
① Slightly calcified, with a diameter of less than 2mm, and a high probability of malignancy.
② Coarse calcification, diameter >2mm, high probability of benign.
3, thyroid nodules calcification morphological significance
Generally speaking, thyroid cancer has calcification 50% to 62.5%.
Sand-like calcification is often a characteristic manifestation of papillary thyroid adenocarcinoma.
In the coarse calcified images, about 10% to 20% are cancer, of which the proportion of follicular thyroid cancer is high.
The mixture of coarse particles and sand-like calcification is the characteristic of medullary thyroid carcinoma.
4. Is calcification of thyroid nodules a cancer?
Some people think that thyroid nodules with calcification must be malignant, but in fact it is not.
Although the probability of calcification of malignant nodules is indeed higher than that of benign nodules, benign thyroid nodules can also be accompanied by calcification.
The secret lies in the characteristics of calcification in the thyroid nodules.
Clinical studies have shown that about 25% of benign thyroid nodules have calcification shadows, and their calcification characteristics are mostly thick, small patchy, arc-shaped, and relatively concentrated distribution.
The calcification characteristics of malignant thyroid nodules are mostly manifested as sand-like calcification, which is scattered or localized.
If microcalcifications are found in the thyroid nodules, which are scattered in satellite foci, clinical studies show that 50% to 60% of the tiny calcifications may be thyroid cancer.
In addition to this, to determine whether the thyroid nodule is malignant, it is also necessary to comprehensively analyze the boundaries, morphology, blood flow signals and other characteristics of the nodule.
here reminds that when patients undergo thyroid nodule calcification diagnosis, they must go to a professional hospital to avoid missed diagnosis.
