Sonographic characteristics of diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma with histopathological correlation: a preliminary study

Abstract Background Diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSVPTC) is a rare but high invasive subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma, which mandates an aggressive clinical strategy. Few studies have focused on the sonographic characteristics of DSVPTC and the role of ultrasound in diagnosis and treatment of this variant remains unknown. This study aimed to identify and understand DSVPTC more accurately under ultrasound in correlation with pathology. Methods The ultrasound characteristics and histopathologic sections of 10 lesions in 10 DSVPTC patients who underwent thyroid surgery at our center between 2014 and 2020 were reviewed and compared with 184 lesions in 168 classic variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (cPTC) patients. Results 6 DSVPTC cases (60%) showed the “snowstorm” pattern on sonogram and 4 cases (40%) presented hypoechoic solid nodules only. Vague borders (100.0% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.019) and abundant microcalcifications (66.7% vs. 10.9%, P = 0.037) were more common in DSVPTC nodules than in cPTC nodules, corresponding to the infiltrating boundaries and numerous psammoma bodies under the microscope respectively. Most of the DSVPTC cases had a heterogeneous background (80%) and suspicious metastatic cervical lymph nodes (80%) on sonograms. All DSVPTC cases had histopathological metastatic cervical lymph nodes. Conclusion The sonographic “snowstorm” pattern indicated DSVPTC with whole-lobe occupation. Hypoechoic solid nodules with vague borders and abundant microcalcifications on sonogram suggested DSVPTC lesion with an ongoing invasion. Regardless of which of the two sonograms was shown, the corresponding DSVPTC lesions were aggressive and required the same attention from the surgeons.