Goiter: Sensitivity and Specificity

Introduction: Enlargement of the thyroid gland, commonly from iodine deficiency, Graves disease, or multinodular goiter. See also hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

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Tags: Endocrine Tag this Diagnosis.

The sensitivity and specificity of findings for Goiter are listed below. See the left navigation bar to change the display.

Pre-Test Probability (Prevalence): %.	Post-Test Probability (Predictive Value): %.	Switch to display mode.
Note that calculating probabilities from more than one** finding is inherently inaccurate because findings are not independent. (For example, using two positive findings that share a common pathogenesis is likely to overestimate the true probability.)

Poorly Diagnostic Findings
Finding	Result	Sensitivity	Specificity
[ + ] Palpable Thyroid	+ 0 -	56%	76%
WHO 1960 criteria: lobes larger than the terminal phalanges of the thumb, or gland visible in schoolage children, in areas of iodine deficiency Study: Lancet. 2000 Jan 8;355(9198):106-10. PMID: 10675168
[ + ] Palpable Thyroid	+ 0 -	80%	29%
WHO 1994 criteria: thyroid at all palpable, or visible in schoolage children, in areas of iodine deficiency Study: Lancet. 2000 Jan 8;355(9198):106-10. PMID: 10675168