New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 13991

Special Issue Editor

1. Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță Institute of Oncology, Department of Nuclear Medicine, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2. Faculty of Medicine, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: thyroid diagnostic; PET/CT; genetics; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thyroid pathologies are considered the most frequent endocrine disorders and thyroid carcinoma the most frequent endocrine malignant disease. The polymorphism of the symptoms in benign thyroid pathology and the dramatic increase of the incidence of thyroid nodules underline the necessity of continuous research in the field, for better and appropriate diagnosis and therapies. The era of precise medicine and personalized therapies needs new diagnostic approaches based on the already standardized protocols but bringing better accuracy and better pathophysiologic understandings. This Special Issue on “New insights in Thyroid Diagnostics” will focus on novel strategies of clinical and imaging diagnostics, together with serological, histological, genetic, and molecular analysis, which tend to be more and more present in daily practice. Furthermore, the results of studies regarding the diagnostics of modified quality of life in thyroid patients are welcome, together with papers focusing on multiple malignancies associated with thyroid disease, benign or malignant. Researchers are encouraged to publish their work in this field, both with respect to benign thyroid diseases and thyroid carcinomas, including original articles or systematic reviews.

Prof. Dr. Doina Piciu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Thyroid benign disease
  • PET/CT
  • Genetic analysis
  • Thyroid carcinoma
  • Microcarcinoma
  • Quality of life.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 1243 KiB  
Article
Quantification of Thyroid Viscosity in Healthy Subjects Using Ultrasound Shear Wave Dispersion (Viscosity PLUS)
by Dana Stoian, Luciana Moisa, Laura Taban, Ioan Sporea, Alexandru Popa, Felix Bende, Alina Popescu and Andreea Borlea
Diagnostics 2022, 12(9), 2194; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12092194 - 09 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1361
Abstract
Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is widely used in thyroid evaluation, but multiple factors influence thyroid stiffness. Estimating tissue viscosity may enhance the ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid diseases, along with the ultrasound (US) and the SWE assessment. In order to be able to detect diffuse [...] Read more.
Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is widely used in thyroid evaluation, but multiple factors influence thyroid stiffness. Estimating tissue viscosity may enhance the ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid diseases, along with the ultrasound (US) and the SWE assessment. In order to be able to detect diffuse thyroid disease by viscosity measurements, it is essential to firstly define the normal values of thyroid viscosity in healthy subjects. Currently there are no published data on thyroid viscosity measurements. This first prospective study aimed to determine the normal range of thyroid viscosity values in a cohort of healthy thyroids, as well as to determine the factors that may influence them. One hundred and twenty-one consecutive subjects without thyroid pathology were evaluated in the study by means of conventional ultrasound, two-dimensional SWE (2D SWE PLUS) and viscosity plane-wave ultrasound (ViPLUS) embedded in the Supersonic MACH® 30 ultrasound system. Five valid tissue viscosity measurements were obtained for each thyroid lobe in every patient and the median values were analyzed and correlated with the biological and demographic parameters of each patient. Our results reveal that ViPLUS is a highly feasible and reproducible technique for thyroid evaluation. Thyroid stiffness, age, gender, BMI and depth of measurements did not influence the thyroid viscosity values. The mean thyroid viscosity by ViPLUS for normal thyroid tissue was of 2.42 ± 0.41 Pa·s. Viscosity assessment by Supersonic ViPLUS is an innovative, non-invasive technique that has proven to be useful for thyroid US evaluation and remains to demonstrate its effectiveness in identifying patients with thyroid disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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9 pages, 3439 KiB  
Communication
Patient Population and Test Utilization for Thyroid Function in Local Clinics and Hospitals in Korea
by Rihwa Choi, Sang Gon Lee and Eun Hee Lee
Diagnostics 2022, 12(7), 1638; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12071638 - 05 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1516
Abstract
We evaluated the utilization and characteristics of thyroid function test (TFT) results, including serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (free T4), and total triiodothyronine (total T3) in Korean adults who visited local clinics and hospitals between 2018 and 2020. We obtained TFT [...] Read more.
We evaluated the utilization and characteristics of thyroid function test (TFT) results, including serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (free T4), and total triiodothyronine (total T3) in Korean adults who visited local clinics and hospitals between 2018 and 2020. We obtained TFT results for 69,575 specimens from 47,685 adult Korean patients (4878 men and 42,807 women) with a mean age of 42.7 (standard deviation of 13.2) years. Among them, 23,581 specimens were tested for TSH only, 38,447 specimens were tested for TSH and free T4 (including 17,978 specimens without total T3), and 20,469 specimens were tested for all three, i.e., TSH, free T4, and total T3. The proportion of euthyroid was 80.0% among all 69,575 specimens, 71.2% among specimens with TSH and free T4, and 64.2% among specimens with all three TFTs. TFT patterns that were difficult to interpret and needed more clinical information were observed for about 6.9% of the 20,469 specimens with all three TFTs. Among the 20,469 specimens with all three TFTs, no specimen had increases in all three. Information on the prevalence of specimen results of TFTs would be helpful to expand our knowledge of patient population characteristics and to improve test utilization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 525 KiB  
Article
Lymph Node Metastases Identified at the Post-Ablation 131I SPECT/CT Scan Is a Prognostic Factor of Intermediate-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer
by Xi Jia, Yuanbo Wang, Lulu Yang, Kun Fan, Runyi Tao, Hui Liu, Xiaobao Yao, Aimin Yang, Guangjian Zhang and Rui Gao
Diagnostics 2022, 12(5), 1254; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12051254 - 18 May 2022
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Abstract
The intermediate-risk category of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) comprises heterogeneous patients within a wide range of stages and varied care management. Understanding the risk features of recurrence observed after the initial therapy should be emphasized. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of [...] Read more.
The intermediate-risk category of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) comprises heterogeneous patients within a wide range of stages and varied care management. Understanding the risk features of recurrence observed after the initial therapy should be emphasized. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of radioactive iodine-avid lymph nodes observed during the initial treatment of patients with PTC that were considered to be at intermediate risk. Data on patients with intermediate-risk PTC treated from 2012 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Post-therapeutic SPECT/CT (Rx SPECT/CT) was evaluated in the enrolled patients. The clinical, pathologic, and incidence of radioiodine-avid (RAI-avid) lymph node metastasis (mLN) on Rx SPECT/CT were reviewed, and risk factors related to recurrent disease were analyzed. After a median follow-up of 37.26 (30.90, 46.33) months, structural persistent/recurrent disease was detected in 9.81% (36/367) of patients with intermediate-risk tumors. The incidence of recurrence was higher in patients who demonstrated RAI-avid mLN after the initial therapy than in those who did not (p < 0.001). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, RAI-avid mLN appeared to be a robust risk factor for recurrent disease after the initial therapy (HR: 8.967, 95% CI: 3.433–23.421, p = 0.000). RAI-avid mLN is a significant risk factor for recurrent intermediate-risk PTC after the initial treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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Review

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11 pages, 630 KiB  
Review
Role of Dietary and Environmental Factors on Thyroid Cancer in Romania: A Brief Review
by Gilles Kermoison and Ciprian Draganescu
Diagnostics 2022, 12(8), 1959; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12081959 - 13 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1531
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine tumor, accounting for about 1% of all human malignancies. There are environmental factors that can potentiate the onset of thyroid cancer, in particular pollutants, lifestyle or radiation exposure. Another major cause responsible for the appearance of [...] Read more.
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine tumor, accounting for about 1% of all human malignancies. There are environmental factors that can potentiate the onset of thyroid cancer, in particular pollutants, lifestyle or radiation exposure. Another major cause responsible for the appearance of thyroid cancer is the habitat in endemic areas where there is a deficit of iodine in the soil, drinking water and food. We operated using the PubMed database in order to find the articles of interest. After a wary review of the literature, we designated the relevant articles necessary for our study including various factors such as alimentation, effects of the Chernobyl fallout radiation and the iodine and vitamin D deficiency in Romania. The aim of this article is to make a correlation between the different environmental and dietary factors in Romania, and the increased incidence of thyroid cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 1670 KiB  
Review
Personalized Diagnosis in Differentiated Thyroid Cancers by Molecular and Functional Imaging Biomarkers: Present and Future
by Laura Teodoriu, Letitia Leustean, Maria-Christina Ungureanu, Stefana Bilha, Irena Grierosu, Mioara Matei, Cristina Preda and Cipriana Stefanescu
Diagnostics 2022, 12(4), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12040944 - 10 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2378
Abstract
Personalized diagnosis can save unnecessary thyroid surgeries, in cases of indeterminate thyroid nodules, when clinicians tend to aggressively treat all these patients. Personalized diagnosis benefits from a combination of imagery and molecular biomarkers, as well as artificial intelligence algorithms, which are used more [...] Read more.
Personalized diagnosis can save unnecessary thyroid surgeries, in cases of indeterminate thyroid nodules, when clinicians tend to aggressively treat all these patients. Personalized diagnosis benefits from a combination of imagery and molecular biomarkers, as well as artificial intelligence algorithms, which are used more and more in our timeline. Functional imaging diagnosis such as SPECT, PET, or fused images (SPECT/CT, PET/CT, PET/MRI), is exploited at maximum in thyroid nodules, with a long history in the past and a bright future with many suitable radiotracers that could properly contribute to diagnosing malignancy in thyroid nodules. In this way, patients will be spared surgery complications, and apparently more expensive diagnostic workouts will financially compensate each patient and also the healthcare system. In this review we will summarize essential available diagnostic tools for malignant and benignant thyroid nodules, beginning with functional imaging, molecular analysis, and combinations of these two and other future strategies, including AI or NIS targeted gene therapy for thyroid carcinoma diagnosis and treatment as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 564 KiB  
Review
Thyroid Cancer Diagnostics Related to Occupational and Environmental Risk Factors: An Integrated Risk Assessment Approach
by Gabriela Maria Berinde, Andreea Iulia Socaciu, Mihai Adrian Socaciu, Andreea Cozma, Armand Gabriel Rajnoveanu, Gabriel Emil Petre and Doina Piciu
Diagnostics 2022, 12(2), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12020318 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3387
Abstract
There are still many questions remaining about the etiopathogenesis of thyroid cancer, the most common type of endocrine neoplasia. Numerous occupational and environmental exposures have been shown to represent important risk factors that increase its incidence. Updated information about thyroid cancer diagnostics related [...] Read more.
There are still many questions remaining about the etiopathogenesis of thyroid cancer, the most common type of endocrine neoplasia. Numerous occupational and environmental exposures have been shown to represent important risk factors that increase its incidence. Updated information about thyroid cancer diagnostics related to occupational and environmental risk factors is reviewed here, considering an integrated risk assessment approach; new data concerning thyroid cancer etiology and pathogenesis mechanisms, diagnostic biomarkers and methodologies, and risk factors involved in its pathogenesis are presented. A special emphasis is dedicated to specific occupational risk factors and to the association between environmental risk agents and thyroid cancer development. The occupational environment is taken into consideration, i.e., the current workplace and previous jobs, as well as data regarding risk factors, e.g., age, gender, family history, lifestyle, use of chemicals, or radiation exposure outside the workplace. Finally, an integrative approach is presented, underlying the need for an accurate Risk Assessment Matrix based on a systematic questionnaire. We propose a complex experimental design that contains different inclusion and exclusion criteria for patient groups, detailed working protocols for achieving coherent and sustainable, well-defined research stages from sample collection to the identification of biomarkers, with correlations between specific oncometabolites integrated into the Risk Assessment Matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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Other

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4 pages, 2208 KiB  
Interesting Images
Rare Case of a Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma of the Jaw as First Manifestation of Primary Hyperparathyroidism
by Samanta Buchholzer and Tommaso Lombardi
Diagnostics 2022, 12(12), 3018; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12123018 - 02 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1166
Abstract
Giant cell granulomas (GCG) are uncommon benign tumor-like lesions mostly arising in the oro-facial area. They are more common in women and occur in patients younger than 30 years. Lesions restricted to the bone are referred to as central giant cell granulomas (CGCG), [...] Read more.
Giant cell granulomas (GCG) are uncommon benign tumor-like lesions mostly arising in the oro-facial area. They are more common in women and occur in patients younger than 30 years. Lesions restricted to the bone are referred to as central giant cell granulomas (CGCG), and those developing primarily on soft tissues are termed peripheral giant cell granulomas (PGCG). Both types are histologically identical. The combination of both clinical examination and radiography allows for the differentiation of those two variants. On rare occasions GCG, and especially CGCG, may develop in relation to hypercalcemia linked to hyperparathyroidism (HPT). In those cases, the GCG treatment prognosis is closely linked to the HPT management. Therefore, patients diagnosed with a GCG must be investigated to search for an HPT. Reported herein is a rare clinical case of a mandibular PGCG which led to the diagnosis of primary HPT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Thyroid Diagnostics 2nd Edition)
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