Preoperative risk score for malignancy in Bethesda III thyroid nodules: a multicentre retrospective study

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Bethesda III thyroid nodules have a malignancy risk of 13–30%, complicating clinical decision-making.
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A multicenter study analyzed 85 surgically resected Bethesda III nodules, revealing a malignancy rate of 23.5%.
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Three independent predictors of malignancy were identified: ultrasound risk, nuclear atypia, and lymphocytic thyroiditis.
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A simple risk score ranging from 0 to 15 points was developed, with a cut-off of 10 points showing optimal diagnostic performance.
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The study emphasizes the need for external validation of the risk score before routine clinical implementation.

Frontiers In Endocrinology

by Manuel Carpio-Salmerón, Mariano Tébar-Caballero, Pau Benito, Clemente García-Hidalgo, Georgios Kyriakos, Antonio Ríos-Vergara, Ginés Luengo-Gil, Carlos Carazo-Casas, Ana Casas-Miras, Luis Marín-Martínez, Ana Belén Arroyo
July 6, 2026

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