The evaluation of the interobserver variability of contrast enhanced ultrasound signs and diagnosis for thyroid nodules
FU Qiang
XIONG Ying
SONG Kexin
LIU Hao
YAN Yan
LIN Lin
Abstract：Objective To investigate the interobserver variability of contrastenhanced ultrasound(CEUS)scoring method in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods A retrospective analysis of CEUS examination was conducted on 121 thyroid nodules from 116 patients who underwent surgical resection or fine needle aspiration(FNA)biopsy in our hospital.The diagnostic value of various CEUS signs was evaluated using univariate logistic regression analysis.Receiver op-erator characteristic(ROC)curve was used to assess the diagnostic performance of CEUS scoring method.Interobserver variabil-ity of various CEUS signs and the diagnosis of CEUS were determined using Kappa statistics.Results Logistic regression analy-sis of CEUS revealed that slow enhancement,centrality enhancement,hypo-enhancement,and inhomogeneous enhancement were indicative of malignant nodule,while,regular rim-like enhancementaround nodule suggested benign nodule.The Kappa value for rim-like enhancement was excellent at 0.813.The Kappa values for slow enhancement,centrality enhancement,hypo-enhancement,and inhomogeneous enhancement ranged from 0.633 to 0.665.The area under the ROC of CEUS scoring method was 0.854.The Kappa value for CEUS diagnosis was 0.785.Conclusions The regular rim-like enhancement showed excellent consistency,and there was good interobserver agreement for diagnosing thyroid nodules with CEUS.
Keywords：Thyroid noduleUltrasonographyContrast enhanced ultrasoundDiagnosis
Publication Date：2025-02-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 29-32,38 )