How are childhood thyroid nodules discovered: opportunities for improving early detection

Anjuli Gupta; Samantha Ly; Luciana A Castroneves; Mary C Frates; Carol B Benson; Henry A Feldman; Ari J Wassner; Jessica R Smith; Ellen Marqusee; Erik K Alexander; Justine Barletta; Funmilayo Muyide; Peter M Doubilet; Hope E Peters; Susan Webb; Biren P Modi; Harriet J Paltiel; Yolanda Martins; Kelly Burmeister; Harry Kozakewich; Monica Hollowell; Edmund S Cibas; Francis D Moore Jr; Robert C Shamberger; P Reed Larsen; Stephen A Huang

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.10.090

How are childhood thyroid nodules discovered: opportunities for improving early detection

J Pediatr. 2014 Mar;164(3):658-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.10.090. Epub 2013 Dec 15.

Authors

Anjuli Gupta¹, Samantha Ly¹, Luciana A Castroneves¹, Mary C Frates², Carol B Benson², Henry A Feldman¹, Ari J Wassner³, Jessica R Smith³, Ellen Marqusee⁴, Erik K Alexander⁴, Justine Barletta⁵, Funmilayo Muyide¹, Peter M Doubilet², Hope E Peters², Susan Webb¹, Biren P Modi⁶, Harriet J Paltiel⁷, Yolanda Martins⁸, Kelly Burmeister⁹, Harry Kozakewich¹⁰, Monica Hollowell¹⁰, Edmund S Cibas⁵, Francis D Moore Jr¹¹, Robert C Shamberger⁶, P Reed Larsen⁴, Stephen A Huang¹²

Affiliations

¹ Thyroid Program of the Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
² Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
³ Thyroid Program of the Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA; Thyroid Section of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
⁴ Thyroid Section of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
⁵ Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
⁶ Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
⁷ Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
⁸ Clinical Research Program, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
⁹ Clinical Research Program, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
¹⁰ Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA.
¹¹ Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
¹² Thyroid Program of the Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA; Thyroid Section of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

In a retrospective analysis of childhood thyroid nodules, 18% were radiographic incidentalomas and 41% were discovered by a clinician's palpation; 40% were discovered by patients' families. The latter group had the largest nodules and highest rates of thyroid cancer metastasis, suggesting opportunities for earlier detection through annual well-child visits.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Child, Preschool
Early Diagnosis
Female
Humans
Incidental Findings
Male
Neoplasm Metastasis
Physical Examination / statistics & numerical data
Radiography
Retrospective Studies
Self-Examination / statistics & numerical data
Sex Distribution
Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnosis
Thyroid Neoplasms / epidemiology
Thyroid Nodule / diagnosis*
Thyroid Nodule / diagnostic imaging

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding