Reliability of ultrasound based AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY THYROID IMAGING REPORTING AND DATA SYSTEM (ACR TI-RADS) in segregating benign and malignant thyroid lesions and its cytopathological correlation– a hospital based study.

Thyroid nodules are “discrete lesions within the thyroid gland, radiologically distinct from surrounding thyroid parenchyma.”1 They are commonly detected lesions on clinical examination and ultrasonography with detection rates approaching ~50-60%.2 With new advances in diagnostics prevelance of thyroid nodules had reached 67%.3

 Ultrasonography is the preferred modality for the evaluation of thyroid nodules. Cytopathological correlation using Ultrasound-guided Fine needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC) is mostly performed to establish the benign or malignant status of the thyroid nodule. Complex and varied features of thyroid nodules warranted the need to constitute various risk stratification systems to classify, standardize, and appropriate management of thyroid nodules. Amongst various classification systems, the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) is one of the most widely accepted system in contemporary medicine practice globally.4

 ACR TI-RADS was introduced by Horvath et al. in the year 2009.4 Scoring is determined from five categories of ultrasound findings(figure 1). The higher the cumulative score, the higher the TR (TI-RADS) level and the likelihood of malignancy. Our study will help provide a theoretical evidence basis for testing the reliability of ACR TI-RADS in classifying thyroid nodules.