Diagnostic Value of Color Doppler Ultrasonography in Small Nodule Thyroid Cancer

Purpose: Small nodule thyroid cancer,less than 3cm in diameter,is difficult to detect clinically.The current study was designed to explore the practical value of color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosing this type of tumor.Materials and Methods: Sixty cases with surgical confirmed thyroid cancer(tumor diameter of 15.98±3.71 mm,7～23mm in range) were included in this study.Images derived with gray-scale ultrasonography,color Doppler ultrasonography and pulse wave ultrasonography from these patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results: Forty-five of the 60 cases of thyroid cancer(75%) were accurately diagnosed by ultrasonography.The most conmen characteristic of ultrasonography was microcalcification which was found in 45 cases(75%).Single nodule was more accurately diagnosed with ultrasonography in comparison to multiple nodules(P0.05).Color Doppler imaging showed increased blood flow signals within the lesion in 44 cases(90%) of a high-speed,high resistance character.Lymphnode metastasis at neck was found in 27 case,including 24 nodes with microcalcification.Conclusion: Combining gray-scale ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography could improve diagnostic accuracy of small nodule thyroid cancer.