Keywords
thyroid gland
ultrasound examination
benign neoplasms
thyroid cancer
American Thyroid Project
How to Cite
Abstract
In order to study the impact of radiation exposure as a
result of the Chornobyl accident on the development of thyroid
pathology, a long-term cohort study (Ukrainian-American Project
«Scientific program for the study of cancer and other thyroid
diseases in Ukraine after the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident
», hereinafter referred to as the Project) was designed and
started in cooperation with SI «V.P. Komisarenko Institute of Endocrinology
and Metabolism of the National Academy of Medical Sciences
of Ukraine» (IEM, NAMS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI,
USA). The main UkrAm cohort (children and adolescents at the time
of the accident) was created in 1998-2000. Somewhat later, in 2003-
2006, a cohort of individuals exposed in the womb (prenatally)
was formed (UkrAm In Utero cohort). These thyroid epidemiological
studies provided for periodic medical examinations of patients,
an important stage of which was thyroid ultrasound. Objective: to
detalize the standardized examination procedure within the Project,
to describe the key results of long-term ultrasound observation
(20-27 years) of members of the main and In Utero UkrAm cohorts,
provide a general description of the existing information arrays, and
review scientific studies based on them. Material and methods.
During the observation period, the main cohort underwent four
active screenings between 1998 and 2008. The In Utero cohort
was followed passively (2007-2008) after the first screening in 2002-
2006. Since 2009, cohort follow-up has been synchronized. The
most recent active screenings (the fifth and second, respectively)
were conducted between 2012 and 2015. The Project’s standardized
clinical and laboratory testing procedures, including
the ultrasound examination procedure, are described in detail.
Results. The results of ultrasound examinations of epidemiological
cohort members (five screening cycles of the main cohort and two
screenings of the In Utero cohort) were accumulated in the form
of a formalized database of ultrasound parameters and a computer
repository of ultrasound images and videos. The characteristics of
ultrasound equipment used for ultrasound examinations during the
different study periods are presented. The Project database contains
the results of over 71.000 individual examinations for approximately
15.800 individuals. As of the end of 2024, the duration of ultrasound
surveillance for members of the main UkrAm cohort is approximately
156.000 person-years, compared to 16.500 person-years for the
In Utero cohort. The prevalence of nodular pathology with a diameter
of ≥5 mm for active screening of the combined UkrAm cohort
from 2012 to 2015 was estimated at 162.0 (95%CI: 155.3; 168.6) per
1000 screened individuals. For women, the corresponding figure is
2.3 times higher than for men. Conclusions: Periodic ultrasound examination
enabled the early diagnosis of structural thyroid pathology
among members of the combined UkrAm cohort throughout
the entire observation period. Based on long-term observations of
the main and In Utero UkrAm cohorts (over 25 and over 20 years,
respectively), unique information dataset was formed containing
the results of ultrasound observations, clinical, demographic and dosimetric
data, serving as the basis for numerous scientific studies
and publications. This dataset is actively used for numerous scientific
studies and publications.
References
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