The application value of the tissue dispersion quantitative analysis technique in differentiating thyroid nodules / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the application value of the ultrasonic elastic tissue dispersion quantitative analysis technique in differentiating thyroid nodules.Methods:A total of 164 nodules in 143 patients with thyroid nodules were examined by elastography ultrasound at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January to November 2014. Eleven parameters were obtained by the tissue dispersion quantitative analysis software. These parameters were compared between benign and malignant groups by Mann-Whitney U test. The correlations between all the parameters and the pathologic results of thyroid nodules were analyzed by Spearman analysis. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve of the parameter with the highest correlation coefficient was constructed. The cut-off value was calculated. Results:All parameters except correlation (CORR) had statistically significant differences between the groups of benign and malignant thyroid nodules(all P<0.01). Moreover, except CORR, the other parameters were correlated with the pathologic results of thyroid nodules(all P<0.05), with the highest coefficient in area ration of low-strain region (%AREA)( r s=0.818). ROC curves were constructed to estimate the clinic values of %AREA in diagnosis of thyroid cancer, the area under ROC curve was 0.991 for %AREA, the cut-off point was 74.83%, the sensitivity and specifity was 98.1% and 89.8%, respectively. Conclusions:The tissue dispersion quantitative analysis technique has high value in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.