Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

Ultrasonography is a basic tool used in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, but there is no single feature of this method which predicts malignancy with statistical significance. The aim of the study is to assess the usefulness of contrast enhanced-ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. The highest value of the study results from the multiparameter approach to the evaluation of thyroid lesions in the light of new diagnostics methods and assessment of the unique combinations of both B-mode and CEUS features as predictors of thyroid cancers. Moreover, several qualitative contrast features predicting benign lesions were evaluated. The preliminary results indicate that CEUS is a useful tool in assessing the risk of malignancy of thyroid lesions. The combination of the qualitative enhancement parameters and B-mode sonographic features significantly increases the method’s usefulness. Further studies should be performed to introduce CEUS patterns in the diagnostic algorithm of thyroid nodules.

thyroid cancer, cancer screening, clinical trial, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, thyroid lesion

Thyroid, Ultrasound, CEUS

The aims of our study were to determine whether shear wave elastography (SWE) can improve the conventional B-mode differentiation of thyroid lesions, determine the most accurate SWE parameter for differentiation and assess the influence of microcalcifications and chronic autoimmune thyroiditis on SWE values. We examined 119 patients with 169 thyroid nodules who prospectively underwent B-mode ultrasound and SWE using the same ultrasound machine. The parameters assessed using SWE were: mean elasticity within the entire lesion (SWE-whole) and mean (SWE-mean) and maximum (SWE-max) elasticity for a 2-mm-diameter region of interest in the stiffest portion of the lesion, excluding microcalcifications. The discriminant powers of a generalized estimating equation model including B-mode parameters only and a generalized estimation equation model including both B-mode and SWE parameters were assessed and compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, in association with pathologic verification. In total, 50 and 119 malignant and benign lesions were detected. In generalized estimated equation regression, the B-mode parameters associated with higher odds ratios (ORs) for malignant lesions were microcalcifications (OR = 4.3), hypo-echogenicity (OR = 3.13) and irregular margins (OR = 10.82). SWE-max was the only SWE independent parameter in differentiating between malignant and benign tumors (OR = 2.95). The area under the curve for the B-mode model was 0.85, whereas that for the model combining B-mode and SWE parameters was 0.87. There was no significant difference in mean SWE values between patients with and without chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. The results of the present study suggest that SWE is a valuable tool for the characterization of thyroid nodules, with SWE-max being a significant parameter in differentiating benign and malignant lesions, independent of conventional B-mode parameters. The combination of SWE parameters and conventional B-mode parameters does not significantly improve the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules. The presence of microcalcifications can influence the SWE-whole value, whereas the presence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis may not.

Shear wave elastography, B-Mode ultrasound, Thyroid nodules, Diagnostic performance, Malignant, Benign

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a modern method for the assessment of tissue stiffness. There has been a growing interest in the use of this technique for characterizing thyroid focal lesions, including preoperative diagnostics. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the clinical usefulness of SWE in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) diagnostics. Materials and methods: A total of 169 focal lesions were identified in the study group (139 patients), including 6 MTCs in 4 patients (mean age: 45 years). B-mode ultrasound and SWE were performed using Aixplorer (SuperSonic, Aix-en-Provence), with a 4–15 MHz linear probe. The ultrasound was performed to assess the echogenicity and echostructure of the lesions, their margin, the halo sign, the height/width ratio (H/W ratio), the presence of calcifications and the vascularization pattern. This was followed by an analysis of maximum and mean Young’s (E) modulus values for MTC (EmaxLR, EmeanLR) and the surrounding thyroid tissues (EmaxSR, EmeanSR), as well as mean E-values (EmeanLRz) for 2 mm region of interest in the stiffest zone of the lesion. The lesions were subject to pathological and/or cytological evaluation. Results: The B-mode assessment showed that all MTCs were hypoechogenic, with no halo sign, and they contained micro- and/ or macrocalcifications. Ill-defined lesion margin were found in 4 out of 6 cancers; 4 out of 6 cancers had a H/W ratio > 1. Heterogeneous echostructure and type III vascularity were found in 5 out of 6 lesions. In the SWE, the mean value of EmaxLR for all of the MTCs was 89.5 kPa and (the mean value of EmaxSR for all surrounding tissues was) 39.7 kPa Mean values of EmeanLR and EmeanSR were 34.7 kPa and 24.4 kPa, respectively. The mean value of EmeanLRz was 49.2 kPa. Conclusions: SWE showed MTCs as stiffer lesions compared to the surrounding tissues. The lesions were qualified for fine needle aspiration biopsy based on B-mode assessment. However, the diagnostic algorithm for MTC is based on the measurement of serum calcitonin levels, B-mode ultrasound and FNAB.

medullary thyroid carcinoma, thyroid, ultrasound, shear wave elastography

Elastografia fali poprzecznej jest nowoczesną metodą oceny sztywności tkanek. Obserwuje się wzrost zainteresowania tą techniką w różnicowaniu charakteru zmian ogniskowych w tarczycy również w diagnostyce przedoperacyjnej. Cel pracy: Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena klinicznej przydatności elastografi i fali poprzecznej w diagnostyce raka rdzeniastego tarczycy (RRT). Materiał i metoda: W badanej grupie 139 pacjentów stwierdzono 169 zmian ogniskowych, a u 4 pacjentów (średni wiek: 45 lat) rozpoznano 6 RRT. Wykonano USG B-mode oraz elastografię fali poprzecznej aparatem Aixplorer (Super-Sonic, Aix-en-Provence), głowicą liniową o częstotliwości 4–15 MHz. W USG oceniano echogeniczność i echo strukturę zmian, ich brzegi, objaw „halo”, stosunek wysokości dogłębokości (W/G), obecność zwapnień oraz wzorzec unaczynienia. Następnie analizowano: maksymalne i średnie wartości modułu Younga (E) dla największego ROI dla RRT (EmaxLR, EmeanLR ) oraz dla otaczających tkanek w miąższu gruczołu (EmaxSR, EmeanSR), a także średnie wartości E (EmeanLRz) dla 2 mm obszaru zainteresowania z najsztywniejszej części zmiany. Zmiany zweryfikowano histopatologicznie i/lub cytologicznie. Wyniki: W ocenie B-mode wszystkie RRT były hipoechogeniczne, bez obecności objawu „halo”, oraz zawierał y mikro- i/lub makrozwapnienia. Nieostre granice zmiany obecne były w 4 z 6 raków. Wartość ilorazu WG >1 dotyczył a 4 na 6 zmian. Niejednorodną echo strukturę oraz typ III unaczynienia stwierdzono w 5 na 6 zmian. W SWE średnia wartość E maxLR w obrębie RRT wynosił a 89,5 kPa, w otoczeniu – 39,7 kPa. Średnie wartości E meanLR, E meanSR wynosił y odpowiednio: 34,6 kPa i 24,4 kPa. Wartość średnia E meanLRz=49,2 kPa. Wnioski: W SWE RRT przedstawiały się jako zmiany sztywniejsze w porównaniu z otaczającymi tkankami. W ocenie B-mode spełniały wskazania do biopsji spiracyjnej cienkoigłowej. Jednak algorytm diagnostyczny RRT opiera się na pomiarze stężenia kalcytoniny w surowicy krwi, ocenie USG B-mode oraz biopsji.

rak rdzeniasty, tarczyca, badanie USG, sonoelastografia fali poprzecznej