A multivariable model of BRAF^V600E and ultrasonographic features for predicting the risk of central lymph node metastasis in cN0 papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of the patients with cN0 PTMC

Characteristics	Central lymph node metastasis (N=182)		P-value
Positive (%)	Negative (%)
Number of patients	71	111
Clinical characteristics
Age
<45 years	47 (66.2)	63 (56.8)	0.204
≥45 years	24 (33.8)	48 (43.2)
Gender
Male	15 (21.1)	22 (19.8)	0.831
Female	56 (78.9)	89 (80.2)
Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis
Yes	24 (33.8)	31 (27.9)	0.400
No	47 (66.2)	80 (72.1)
Ultrasonography features
Tumor size
>7 mm	42 (59.2)	47 (42.3)	0.027
≤7 mm	29 (40.8)	64 (57.7)
Multifocality
Yes	20 (28.2)	14 (12.6)	0.009
No	51 (71.8)	97 (87.4)
Bilaterality
Yes	15 (21.1)	14 (12.6)	0.126
No	56 (78.9)	97 (87.4)
Solid component
Yes	70 (98.6)	110 (99.9)	1.000
No	1 (1.4)	1 (0.1)
Marked hypoechogenicity
Yes	18 (25.4)	14 (12.6)	0.028
No	53 (74.6)	97 (87.4)
Microcalcification
Yes	47 (66.2)	61 (55.0)	0.132
No	24 (33.8)	50 (45.0)
Irregular/lobulated margin
Yes	54 (76.1)	73 (65.8)	0.140
No	17 (23.9)	38 (34.2)
Non-parallel orientation
Yes	36 (50.7)	47 (42.3)	0.269
No	35 (49.3)	64 (57.7)
BRAF mutation
Yes	46 (64.8)	41 (36.9)	<0.001
No	25 (35.2)	70 (63.1)

Note: Significance was assigned for two-tailed P-value < 0.05 (bold values). 

Table 2 Multivariate analyses of factors for predicting CLNM in cN0 PTMC

PTMC characteristics	β Coefficient	OR	95% Confidence Interval	P-value
Tumor size>7 mm	1.291	3.636	1.671–7.914	0.001
Marked hypoechogenicity	0.988	2.686	1.080–6.678	0.034
Multifocality	1.431	4.184	1.707–10.258	0.002
BRAF^V600E mutation	1.675	5.339	2.529–11.272	<0.001

Figure 1 Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the scoring system. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.755.