Korean J Endocr Surg.  2010 Dec;10(4):229-234. 10.16956/kjes.2010.10.4.229.

Ultrasound Elastography in Differential Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules

• Kim KY
• Cha JW
• Choi SH
• Byun CG
• Koh YT
• Seo DY

• KMID: 2375474
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.16956/kjes.2010.10.4.229

Abstract

PURPOSE
The study evaluated elastography, a technique that allows differentiation between pathological and normal tissue by determination of tissue hardness.
METHODS
From March 2009 to April 2010, 25 consecutive patients with thyroid nodules who were referred for surgical treatment were examined in this prospective study. Thirty nodules in these patients were examined by conventional ultrasound, ultrasound elastography, and fine needle aspiration cytology. Lesions were scored (1~3) according to hardness based on the Ueno classification system. The final diagnosis was based on histopathologic results.
RESULTS
Of the 30 thyroid nodules, four were classified as benign and 26 were malignant. Two of the nodules with an elastography score of 1 were benign and 17 nodules whose elastography score was 3 were malignant. Two benign nodules and nine malignant nodules had an elastography score of 2. Applying an elastography score exceeding 2 as a indicator for malignancy determined that the sensitivity and specificity of the ultrasound elastography was 100.0% and 50.0%, respectively, the positive and negativepredictive values were 92.9% and 100.0%, respectively, and the accuracy of the technique was 93.3%.
CONCLUSION
Ultrasound elastography may be a useful adjunct to ultrasonography in the identification of indeterminate thyroid nodules for which tissue diagnosis is required.

Keyword

Thyroid nodule; Ultrasound elastography; Fine needle aspiration cytology

MeSH Terms

Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Classification
Diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential*
Elasticity Imaging Techniques*
Hardness
Humans
Prospective Studies
Sensitivity and Specificity
Thyroid Gland*
Thyroid Nodule*
Ultrasonography*