Value of contrast enhanced ultrasonography and quantitative analysis in differentiation of solid thyroid malignant and benign masses / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast enhanced ultrasonogrphy(CEUS) and quantitative analysis in differentiating between thyroid solid malignant masses and solid benign masses.Methods 40 patients with thyroid solid mass were enrolled into this prospective study between March 2012 and June 2012.A total of 45 thyroid solid masses were evaluated by CEUS,and the final pathology diagnosis was confirmed by core biopsy or thyroidectomy.The diagnostic yield of enhancement patterns and quantitative parameters were assessed for differentiating between the solid malignant and benign masses.Results Enhancement patterns were classified into five types (nonenhancement,early hypo enhancement,hypo enhancement,isoenhancement,hyperenhancement).Two malignant masses had nonenhancement pattern,and 6 malignant masses had early hypoenhancement pattern,and 14 malignant and 4 benign masses had the hypo enhancement pattern,and 5 malignant and 7 benign masses had the isoenhancement pattern,and 1 malignant and 6 benign masses had the hyperenhancement pattern.There was a significant difference between malignant and benign enhancement patterns of thyroid solid masses (x2 =12.184,P =0.016).Nonenhancement,early hypoenhancement and whole phase hypoenhancement pattern predict thyroid solid malignant masses with sensitivity of 78.5 ％ and specificity of 76.5 ％.Among seven quantitative parameters used to predict thyroid malignant mass,the relative maximum intensity (IMAX％) of lesions had highest value in differentiating between the malignant and benign masses with sensitivity of 80.8 ％ and specificity of 82.6％,and area under receiver operating curve (AUC) of the IMAX％ was 0.878.RT (rising time),TTP (time to peak intensity),mTT (mean transit time) had almost non differentiation value with AUC of 0.619,0.601,0.656 separately.And mTT-Ratio (mTT of lesion/mTT of parametric area),RT-Ratio (RT of lesion/RT of parametric area),TTP-Ratio (TTP of lesion/TTP of parametric area) had less differential diagnostic value with AUC of 0.749,0.744,0.704 comparing with IMAX％.Conclusions Nonenhancement and early or whole phase hypoenhancement could be characteristic enhancement pattern of malignant thyroid solid masses,and IMAX％ had good diagnostic value in differentiating between malignant and benign masses among the quantitative parameters.