Associations of BRAF^V600E mutation with the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System and clinicopathological characteristics in pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

Identifying the associations between BRAF^V600E mutation, the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) and clinicopathological characteristics could assist in making appropriate treatment strategies for pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

To retrospectively assess the associations between BRAF^V600E mutation, TI-RADS, and clinicopathological characteristics in pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Between May 2013 and May 2023, pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent thyroidectomy were retrospectively evaluated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the associations between BRAF^V600E mutation, TI-RADS, and clinicopathological characteristics. The diagnostic performance of TI-RADS to predict BRAF^V600E mutation was assessed.

The BRAF^V600E mutation was found in 59.1% (39/66) of pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Multivariate analyses showed that hypoechoic/very hypoechoic [odds ratio (OR) = 8.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.48–48.74); P-value = 0.02] and punctate echogenic foci (OR = 24.3; 95% CI = 3.80–155.84; P-value = 0.001) were independent factors associated with BRAF^V600E mutation. In addition, BRAF^V600E mutation was significantly associated with TI-RADS 5 (OR = 12.61; 95% CI = 1.28–124.49; P-value = 0.03). There were no associations between BRAF^V600E mutation and nodule size, composition, shape, margin, cervical lymph node metastasis, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (P-value > 0.05). Combined with hypoechoic/very hypoechoic and punctate echogenic foci, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 89.7%, 85.2%, 89.7%, 85.2%, and 87.9%, respectively.

Hypoechoic/very hypoechoic, punctate echogenic foci, and TI-RADS 5 are independently associated with BRAF^V600E mutation in pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.