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1
Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has a generally favorable prognosis, but early central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) can significantly affect treatment and outcomes.
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2
A study analyzed data from 534 PTMC patients to develop a predictive model for preoperative assessment of CLNM risk using clinical and ultrasound features.
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3
Five independent predictors of CLNM were identified: age <46.5 years, male sex, capsular contact ≥50%, peritumoral hyperechogenicity, and heterogeneous echotexture.
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4
A combined clinical-radiomics nomogram achieved an improved AUC of 0.900, demonstrating superior predictive performance compared to the clinical model alone.
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5
The proposed nomogram enhances preoperative risk assessment for PTMC patients, optimizing treatment strategies and supporting active surveillance.
