CHEN Xiaoqin,SUN Haiqin,WENG Xijin, et al. The clinical value of elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid microcarcinoma[J]. JOURNAL OF WEZHOU MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, 2021, 51(1): 58-61,65.
Abstract：Objective: To explore the value of high frequency ultrasonography combined with elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid microcarcinoma. Methods: Totally 68 thyroid microcarcinoma patients were collected after fine needle biopsy or surgical treatment. High-frequency ultrasonic features, elastography score and strain rate ratio were retrospectively analyzed and qualitative diagnosis was made. The results were compared with those of surgery or fine needle puncture. Results: There were 87 nodules in 68 thyroid microcarcinoma patients of which 55 benign nodules and 32 thyroid cancers diagnosed by high-frequency ultrasound combined with elastography. Surgical or fine-needle aspiration results showed 59 benign nodules and 28 thyroid carcinomas. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of high-frequency ultrasound combined with elastography score in the diagnosis of minimal thyroid cancer were 89.2%, 89.8%, 89.7%, 80.6% and 89.9%, respectively, in contrast to 82.1%, 84.7%, 83.9%, 71.8% and 90.1% of thyroid microcarcinoma. Conclusion: High-frequency ultrasound is an important basis for thyroid nodule evaluation. The application of elastography can significantly improve the diagnostic value of ultrasound in the benign and malignant evaluation of thyroid small nodule.
