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The Association Between Conventional Ultrasound and Elastography Parameters of Thyroid Nodules with the Risk of Malignancy: A Retrospective Analysis
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Neda Hatami   , Ali Ghandali , Seyed Mohammad Tavangar , Amir Pejman Hashemi Taheri , Farshad Sharifi , Vahid Haghpanah , Mohammad Reza Mohajeri-Tehrani , Sayed Mahmoud Sajjadi-Jazi |
| Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
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Abstract: (122 Views) |
Background and aims: Thyroid nodules are widely encountered in the population and the approximate prevalence is 19–35% by using ultrasonography. Elastography can assess the stiffness of the thyroid nodules and in case of malignancy; the stiffness is expected to be higher due to changes in the nodule structure. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a novel operator independent elastography technique, which has shown promising results for distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid nodules. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between conventional ultrasound and SWE parameters with thyroid nodule malignancy.
Methods: This retrospective study was performed in an endocrinology clinic during 2019-2020. Conventional ultrasonography and SWE findings of thyroid nodules were evaluated and compared with the results of fine needle aspiration (FNA). Then, the diagnostic performance of SWE, alone or in combination with conventional ultrasonography, was assessed in the detection of malignant thyroid nodules.
Results: This study was conducted on 201 thyroid nodules (28 nodules in men and 173 nodules in women). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR-) and accuracy of SWE (using a threshold of 65 kilopascal [kPa] for the maximum stiffness) in the prediction of malignant thyroid nodules were 50%, 98.56%, 34.75, 0.51 and 96.55%, respectively. After considering conventional ultrasonography in addition to SWE, the sensitivity, specificity, LR+, LR- and accuracy of ultrasound for the detection of malignant lesions were changed to 71.43%, 93.24%, 10.57, 0.31 and 92.26%, respectively.
Conclusion: SWE could be useful in the assessment of thyroid nodules; it can be used beside the conventional ultrasonography to discriminate malignant lesions from the benign ones.
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| Keywords: thyroid nodule, fine needle aspiration, shear wave elastography, ultrasonography, malignancy |
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Full-Text [PDF 1456 kb]
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/03/11 | Accepted: 2024/07/31 | Published: 2024/07/31
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