Application Value of Real-time Ultrasound Elastography Technology in the Diagnosis of the Thyroid Nodule

Objective To investigate the value of real-time ultrasound elastography technology in differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule.Methods 91 patients with thyroidnodule(104 nodules) confirmed by operations from January 2009 to January 2010 underwent two-dimentional combined color Doppler ultrasound examination and real-time ultrasound elastography technology examination.The results were compared with pathologic findings.Results Results of two-dimentional combined color Doppler ultrasound: 66 nodules were diagnosed as thyroid malignancy,among which,54 were coincident with pathologic findings;36 were diagnosed as benign lesion,and 20 were coincident with pathologic findings;The sensitivity,specificity and accurate rate of combined diagnosis were 73.0%,57.2%,and 71.2% respectively,but of real time utrasound elastography,they were 92.0%,86.0% and 90.0% respeltively,which were higher than those of combined detection,and the differeces were significant(P0.05).Lesions with grade Ⅲ~Ⅳ found in Real-time ultrasound elastography technology were highly suspected as being malignant.Conclusion Real-time ultrasound elastography technology may provide more detailed information for further differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules which are found by conventional ultrasonic.