An Algorithm of Image Heterogeneity with Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Differential Diagnosis of Solid Thyroid Nodules

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Lifang Jin^&lowast ; ; Changsong Xu^&lowast ; ; ^&dagger ; ; Xueqian Xie^&Dagger ; ; Fan Li^&lowast ; ; Xiuhong Lv^§ ; ; Lianfang Du^&lowast ; ; ^{lianfang_du@126.com}
• 关键词：Thyroid nodule ; Heterogeneity ; Ultrasound ; Contrast ; Diagnosis
• 刊名：Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：January 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：43
• 期：1
• 页码：104-110
• 全文大小：1858 K
• 卷排序：43

文摘

Enhancement heterogeneity on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is used to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. In this study, we used an algorithm to quantify enhancement heterogeneity of solid thyroid nodules on CEUS. The heterogeneity value (HV) is calculated as standard deviation/mean intensity × 100 (using Adobe Photoshop). The heterogeneity ratio (HR) is calculated as the ratio of the HV of the nodule to that of the surrounding parenchyma. Three phases—ascending, peak and descending phases—were studied. HV values at ascending (HVa) and peak (HVp) phases were significantly higher in malignant nodules than in benign nodules (95.57 ± 43.87 vs. 73.06 ± 44.04, p = 0.009, and 32.53 ± 10.73 vs. 26.44 ± 8.25, p = 0.002, respectively). HRa, HRp and HRd were significantly higher in malignant nodules than in benign nodules (1.93 ± 1.03 vs. 1.00 ± 0.47, p = 0.000, 1.43 ± 0.51 vs. 1.09 ± 0.28, p = 0.000, and 1.33 ± 0.40 vs. 1.08 ± 0.33, p = 0.001, respectively). HRa achieved optimal diagnostic performance on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The algorithm used for assessment of image heterogeneity on CEUS examination may be a useful adjunct to conventional ultrasound for differential diagnosis of solid thyroid nodules.