High-frequency ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography findings for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma / 中国医师杂志

Objective To explore the features of high-frequency ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).Methods The CEUS data and ultrasound data of 147 PTMCS which were reconfirmed by pathology were analyzed retrospectively,and the CEUS and ultrasonic characteristics of them were summarized.Results Among 147 nodules,144 (97.9％) nodules were hypoechoic,and 3 nodules were isoechoic.Vague edge was found in 136(92.5％) PTMCs,and 126(85.7％) PTMCs were irregular in shape.Totally 92(62.6％) PTMCs were A/T ＞ 1,microcalcifications were found in 81 (55.1％) PTMCs.Besides,26(74.2％) PTMCs were found microcalcification in 35 PTMCs combined with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT),while 55 (49.1％) PTMCs were found microcalcification in 112 PTMCs combined with HT.There were significant differences between them (P ＜ 0.05).The blood distribution of 129 (87.8％) nodules was type Ⅱ.The contrast-enhanced pattern of 147 (100.0％) PTMCs showed in-homogeneous enhancement in 144 (97.9％) nodules,hypoenhancement in 136(92.5％) nodules,and all the nodules without amicula.Conclusions The typical PTMCs are hypoechoic,irregular shapeand vague edge,usually were found as A/T ＞ 1,microcalcification,and type Ⅱ blood distribution.With the method of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography,these nodules usually without amicula showed inhomogeneous and hypoenhancement.The incidence of microcalcification is more common when patients with Hashimoto's disease coexisting PTMC.

Differential Diagnosis of a Follicular Carcinoma and Papillary Carcinoma of the Thyroid Gland Based on Sonographic Findings

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the sonographic findings of a conventional papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma and a follicular variant of a papillary carcinoma. MATERIALS and METHODS: A total of 308 nodules from 231 patients that were diagnosed with a papillary carcinoma and a follicular carcinoma by surgery after sonography were analyzed. The nodules consisted of a conventional papillary carcinoma (255, 83%), a follicular variant of a papillary carcinoma (25, 8%), and a follicualar carcinoma (28, 9%). We compared and analyzed the sonographic findings of each nodule for content, margin, echotexture, shape, calcification and halo sign. RESULTS: A conventional papillary carcinoma showed significant different sonographic findings than a follicular carcinoma and a follicular variant of a papillary carcinoma for an ill-defined or well-defined spiculated margin (63.1%), marked hypoechogenicity (85.9%) and microcalcification (49%). A follicular carcinoma showed a significant difference than a conventional papillary carcinoma for a well-defined smooth margin (92.9%), iso, hypo- or hyperechogenicity (89.3%), wider than tall shape (100%) and halo sign (82.1%). The follicular variant of a papillary carcinoma showed similar findings to a follicular carcinoma except for marked hypoechogenicity (44%, p = 0.006) and taller than wide shape (16%, p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The follicular carcinoma and follicular variant of a papillary carcinoma showed similar sonographic findings, but findings of a conventional papillary carcinoma were different.