TITLE:
Real Time Ultrasound Elastography for the Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules
AUTHORS:
Hamad Elniel H. Eltyib, Ibrahim A. Awad, Naglaa M. Elsayed, Saddig D. Jastaniah
KEYWORDS:
Elastography; Real-Time; Thyroid Nodules; Ultrasound; Malignant
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Medical Imaging,
Vol.4 No.1,
March
26,
2014
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
predictive value of real-time ultrasound elastography (RUE) in differentiating
benign from malignant thyroid nodules, with fine needle aspiration cytology analysis
as the reference standard. A total of 78 consecutive patients with thyroid nodules
who were selected for fine needle aspiration biopsies were examined in this
prospective study. 78 nodules in these patients were examined by
conventional ultrasound, and ultrasound elastography. The final diagnosis was
obtained from cytological findings. Tissue stiffness on ultrasound elastography
was scored from 1 (low stiffness over the entire nodule) to 5 (high stiffness
over the entire nodule and surrounding tissue). On real-time ultrasound
elastography, 47 of 62 benign nodules (76%) had a score of 1 or 2, whereas 15
of 16 malignant nodules had a score of 3 to 5, with sensitivity of 93.7%,
specificity of 90%, a positive predictive value of 71%, and a negative
predictive value of 98%. Real-time ultrasound elastography is a promising
imaging technique that is useful in the differential diagnosis of thyroid
cancer. Utilization of ultrasound
elastography could reduce the rate of thyroid biopsies because of its high
elasticity being highly associated with benign cytology.