Ultrasonography and the Ultrasound-Based Management of Thyroid Nodules: Consensus Statement and Recommendations

previous studies have demonstrated that thyroid nodules are found in 4-8% of the general population with the use of palpation, in 19-67% of patients with the use of US and in 50% of autopsy specimens (1-4).Malignancies have been found in 9-15% of the nodules that were evaluated with fi ne-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy (1-5).The same as in other countries, the incidence of thyroid cancer is rapidly increasing in Korea and it is becoming the most common cancer in Korean women, followed by breast cancer, according to the recent report (6).Thyroid nodules are especially more common in elderly patients, female patients, patients with iodine defi ciency and patients with a history of neck irradiation.Uncommonly, a thyroid nodule can cause local compression or hyperthyroidism and so it should be treated accordingly.