Instructions for using “Management of thyroid nodules: A curriculum in a quiz format

based on Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound guidelines.”

Resource files enclosed

MEP thyroid curriculum.zip

File usage and implementation.

The objective of this curriculum is to educate the reader about the appropriate management based

on the US appearance of thyroid nodules as recommended Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound

(SRU) guidelines for management of thyroid nodules. This curriculum in a quiz format illustrates

20 path-proven benign and malignant thyroid nodules and their appropriate recommendations.

Approximate time required to review this curriculum is 45 minutes.

Educational objectives

1. Review Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU) Guidelines for management of

thyroid nodules.

2. Review of ultrasound appearances: Solid, mixed solid-cystic, irregular margins,

spongiform nodules, calcifications (microcalcification and coarse), increased internal

vascularity, and abnormal neck nodes with an explanation for aspiration or not based on

guidelines.

3. Review 20 nodules, both benign and malignant in a quiz format.

Conceptual background

1. Thyroid nodules are very common, seen in almost 50% of the population. Hence,

guidelines are used to decide if a nodule should undergo FNA or not.

2. There is inconsistency in the recommendations for thyroid nodules even with SRU

guidelines due to lack of understanding of the recommendations. A QA project

performed at our institution confirmed our belief. The data is currently unpublished.

3. Our curriculum in a quiz format will help better understand the appropriate SRU

recommendations for the different types of thyroid nodules.

1

Previous deployments

This curriculum was presented as a web-based educational exhibit presented at the Radiological

Society of North America Annual Meeting in Chicago in 2010 and the content has been edited to

suit the MedEDPORTAL format.

Resource limitations

None

Potential improvements/expansion

This could be improved by adding more nodules, but we have made an attempt to cover most

scenarios likely to be encountered in clinical practice.

Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please sent to Dr. Bhargava at bhargp@uw.edu

2