Risk of thyroid cancer in a lung cancer screening population of the National Lung Screening Trial according to the presence of incidental thyroid nodules detected on low-dose chest CT

Purpose: This study evaluated thyroid cancer risk in a lung cancer screening population according to the presence of an incidental thyroid nodule (ITN) detected on low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT). Methods: Of 47,837 subjects who underwent LDCT, a lung cancer screening population according to the National Lung Screening Trial results was retrospectively enrolled. The prevalence of ITN on LDCT was calculated, and the ultrasonography (US)/fine-needle aspiration (FNA)-based risk of thyroid cancer according to the presence of ITN on LDCT was compared using the Fisher exact or Student t-test as appropriate. Results: Of the 2,329 subjects (female:male=44:2,285; mean age, 60.9 +/- 4.9 years), the prevalence of ITN on LDCT was 4.8% (111/2,329). The incidence of thyroid cancer was 0.8% (18/2,329, papillary thyroid microcarcinomas [PTMCs]) and was higher in the ITN-positive group than in the ITN-negative group (3.6% [4/111] vs. 0.6% [14/2,218], P=0.009). Among the 2,011 subjects who underwent both LDCT and thyroid US, all risks were higher (P<0.001) in the ITN-positive group than in the ITN-negative group: presence of thyroid nodule on US, 94.1% (95/101) vs. 48.6% (928/1,910); recommendation of FNA according to the American Thyroid Association guideline and Korean Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System guideline, 41.2% (42/101) vs. 2.4% (46/1,910) and 39.6% (40/101) vs. 1.9% (37/1,910), respectively. Conclusion: Despite a higher risk of thyroid cancer in the LDCT ITN-positive group than in the ITN-negative group in a lung cancer screening population, all cancers were PTMCs. A heavy smoking history may not necessitate thorough screening US for thyroid incidentalomas.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the risk of thyroid cancer in a lung cancer screening population based on the presence of incidental thyroid nodules detected on low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT). The results showed that the incidence of thyroid cancer was higher in the ITN-positive group compared to the ITN-negative group, but all cancers were papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMCs). Therefore, thorough screening for thyroid incidentalomas may not be necessary in patients with a heavy smoking history.