Fig. 6
From: Blood leukocytes as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for thyroid nodules: a prospective cohort study
Patient examination and treatment flowchart. 1. Patient admission; 2. Ultrasonography examination and ACR TI-RADS classification; 3. Management recommendations (ACR TI-RADS 1–3) or blood tests (ACR TI-RADS 4–5) according to ACR TI-RADS categories; 4. Management recommendations (BLDM predicted BTNs) or pathological examination (BLDM predicted MTNs) according to methylation scores. The red lines represent the clinical application of the BLDM model, while the green lines represent the patient management recommended by guidelines or expert consensus. TN, thyroid nodule; BTN, benign thyroid nodule; MTN, malignant thyroid nodule; PTMC, papillary thyroid microcarcinoma