Comparison of the diagnostic efficacy of different methods measuring ultrasonicity elastic contrast index in the diagnosis of thyroid nodule

ObjectiveTo explore the application value of ultrasonic elasticity contrast index(ECI) in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules, and compare the efficacy among different measurement methods.

MethodsA total of 31 patients with thyroid nodules(36 nodules) were investigated, and the ECI was measured using the sketching the cross-sectional junction boundary, measurement of inhomogeneous areas within nodules in cross section and cross-sectional junction boundary, respectively.The ROC curve was drawn, and the diagnostic effects of thyroid nodules were compared among different measurement methods.

ResultsAmong the three methods, the area under the ROC curve of the measurement of inhomogeneous areas within nodules in cross section was the largest(0.82), and the corresponding ECI cut-off value was 2.93.The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the measurement of inhomogeneous areas within nodules in cross section in evaluating the malignant risk of thyroid nodules were 82.0%, 76.4% and 75.3%, respectively.Using the measurement of inhomogeneous areas within nodules in cross section, the ECI value of malignant nodules is high than that of benign nodules (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsThe measurement of inhomogeneous areas within nodules in cross section has a high diagnostic effect on thyroid nodules.