الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This study was conducted on thirty seven patients with thyroid nodules detected by palpation or incidentally noted during neck imaging for other reasons. There were 5 males (13.5%) and 32 females (86.5%). Their ages ranged from 27 to 65 years old. The aim of this work was to study the application of U Classification system according to the British Thyroid Association (BTA) Guidelines in diagnosing thyroid nodules suspicious for malignancy. We found that, it allows for better selection of nodules to be biopsied, avoiding unnecessary procedures.
All patients were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination and laboratory investigations. Gray scale Ultrasound and color Doppler examination were done to all patients. All of the 37 patients underwent FNA, of which 14 patients (37.84%) had malignant thyroid nodules and 23 patients (62.16 %) had benign thyroid nodules.
U classification system allows for stratification of thyroid nodules as benign, suspicious or malignant, based on the ultrasound appearance termed U1-U5 with the thyroid nodules belonging to U2 need no FNA, while those belonging to U3-5 require FNA.
In our study we didn’t find statistical significance for some variables as age and sex of the patients as well as the number and size of the thyroid nodules. By combined evaluation of the thyroid nodules by gray scale ultrasound and color Doppler, we examine multiple criteria as; the nodule size, shape, margins, echo-pattern, echogenicity, composition, calcifications, vascularity, peripheral halo and lymphadenopathy.
We found suspicious features for presence of malignant thyroid nodules according to the U Classification system that show statistical significance, they include;
• Irregular margins.
• Mildly hypoechoic and markedly hypoechoic echo pattern.
• Solid composition of thyroid nodules.
• Intra-nodular vascularity.
• Microcalcifications.
• Associated suspicious cervical lymph nodes