Value of superb micro-vascular imaging in TI-RADS 4 thyroid nodules / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the value of superb micro-vascular imaging(SMI) in the detection of TI-RADS 4 thyroid nodules . Methods A retrospective analysis of 61 patients( 68 thyroid nodules) with grade 4 TI-RADS diagnosed by routine ultrasound and undergone SMI were performed ,and the differences between CDFI and SMI were compared . The TI-RADS level were corrected by CDFI and SMI technology , combined with the pathological results to compare the diagnostic efficacy before and after the correction . At the same time ,the related factors had been collected to evaluate the risk factors and to compare the value of SMI in benign and malignant nodules . Results SMI was more likely to detect the type Ⅲ blood flow ( P =0 .001) of malignant nodules . The area under the ROC curve before TI-RADS correction ,after CDFI correction and SMI correction were 0 .66 ,0 .69 and 0 .78 ,respectively . Compared with before TI-RADS correction and after CDFI correction ,the area under the curve of SMI correction was significant different ( P=0 .002 ,0 .009) . There was no significant difference in the area under the curve between after CDFI correction and before correction ( P = 0 .4196 ) . The sensitivity of SMI was higher ,but there was no significant difference ( P >0 .05) . After single factor analysis and multivariate analysis ,central blood flow and perforating blood flow found by SMI were not independent risk factors for thyroid cancer . Conclusions SMI is more effective than CDFI in detecting TI-RADS 4 thyroid nodules ,and it is expected to be an auxiliary tool for the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules .