- 期刊
- OpenAccess
The Application of 2015 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Taiwan and their Association with Computer-Aided Detection and Diagnosis System
摘要
Background. The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer were published in the Journal ＂Thyroid＂ recently. Although the guidelines are important and most of them are compatible with our daily practice, some of them are not so practical and also different from the real situation in Taiwan. The aims of this review were to point out them, to make some comments, and also to correlate the role of the Computer-Aided Detection and Diagnosis System which was invented in Taiwan. Findings. The most important difference from the real situation in Taiwan was to neglect the management of thyroid lesions smaller than 1 cm in diameter, and the timing in use of ^(18)FDG-PET in this new guideline. In addition, although the usefulness of thyroid sonography was emphasized in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, it could be better if the findings could be applied more objectively with assistance of computer-aided detection and diagnosis system. Conclusion. Because of the low cost of medical service in Taiwan, we consider that even for small thyroid lesions, especially firm, hard, irregular in palpation, they should be examined and managed as soon as possible to preserve good life quality based on the ATA's recommendation for surgical management. As for thyroid sonography, the new 2015 ATA guidelines remind clinicians the importance to screen nodules by sonographic findings, and computer-aided detection and diagnosis systems can assist to attain the goal in a more objective way to screen the patients from fine-needle aspiration cytology and to save work-loading.