Clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules

ZHANG Hua

Abstract：Objective To explore the role of ultrasound elastography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods 120 patients with thyroid nodules from November 2014 to December 2016 were selected as the subjects.Ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and ultrasonography were used to evaluate the histopathological results.The accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of each group were statistically analyzed.Results Ultrasonography combined with ultrasound contrast group (combined group) was significantly higher than the sensitivity of ultrasound contrast group, ultrasound elasticity imaging group, x2=15.22, 9.31, P=0.00;and ultrasound contrast group and ultrasound elastic imaging group, x2=0.63, P=0.38.The specificity of the combined group was significantly higher than that of the contrast-enhanced ultrasound group and ultrasound-enhanced ultrasound group, x2=8.75,10.33, P=0.00, while, the ultrasound-enhanced ultrasound group and the contrast-enhanced ultrasound group were x2=0.38 and P=0.48.The accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of combined group were significantly higher than those of conventional ultrasound group and ultrasound elastic imaging group (x2=12.72,24.36,16.11, P=0.00).Conclusion Clinical application of ultrasound elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules have a high diagnostic value, but the use of a simple means of identification of benign and malignant thyroid nodules had no significant difference.Combined with ultrasound elastography and contrast enhanced ultrasound can in cases sensitivity of thyroid nodule diagnosis, which is conducive to early detection, diagnosis of early thyroid cancer, and the improvement of prognosis of patients with reference.