Résumé
Objective To assess the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic elastography for identifying suspected malignant thyroid nodules. Methods Fifty-one patients with small single solid thyroid nodule underwent two-dimensional and color power Doppler ultrasonography. The size, shape, boundary, internal echo and halo, calcification of thyroid nodule were observed with two-dimensional ultrasound. Then color Doppler ultrasonography was used to detect blood signal and distribution in the nodules. Longitudinal scanning of elastography was performed, and the findings on elastography were classified into Ⅰ-Ⅴ grades. The ultrasonographic results were compared with pathologic findings. Results Six patients were found with grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ benign lesions;9 with grade Ⅲ ( 6 benign and 3 malignant), 36 with Ⅳ and Ⅴ (2 benign and 34 malignant) lesions on ultrasonographic elastography. Taking the elasticity grade Ⅳ or Ⅴ as malignant standard, the diagnostic sensitivity was 91.89%, specificity was 85.71%, accuracy was 90.20%, while the positive and negative predictive value was 94.44% and 80.00%, respectively. Conclusion Real-time ultrasound elastography is a promising imaging technique that can assist in the differential diagnosis of malignant thyroid small single solid nodule.