Assessment the Adherence of Radiologists to the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS)

Thyroid nodules are the most common findings among adults. Usually, Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) can be used to distinguish the malignant and benign lesions. Application of a non-invasive method for determining the chance of malignancy in a nodule is desirable. Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) was introduced to decrease the unnecessary FNABs and to optimize the management of these patients. The objective of this study was to assess the adherence of radiologist’s reports to TIRADS, after 10 years from the introduction of this system to radiologists in Fars Province.

In this retrospective study, sonography report of the patients, who were referred to hospital for FNAB was assessed. If the patients did not have the previous sonography reports or the report was unreadable, they would be excluded from the study. Composition, echogenicity, shape, size, and margin were assessed and scored in this study. As the reports noted to each of the above-mentioned issues, score 1 was assigned to them. SPSS version 15 was used to analyze the data and calculated the standard deviation.

Sonography reports of 111 out of 250 patients was evaluated. The mean score of sonography reports from 5 was 2.63±0.86. The percentage of adherence of sonography reports to the expression of the first five categories was 52.61±17.25 %. Echogenic foci were also evaluated in the patients that it existed. The radiologists were reported them in almost 81% of cases.

Overall adherence of sonographic report to TIRADS was 57.34%. The adherence can be definitely improved by training the radiologists.