Diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastic strain ratio and elasticity score for thyroid micronodules of TI-RADS 4

Abstract

Objective: To investigate diagnostic value of ultrasonic elastic strain ratio and elasticity score for thyroid micronodules of TI-RADS 4. Method: In total, 211 consecutive patients with 225 thyroid micronodules were enroled in the study, all the nodules were evaluated by TI-RADS criteria before and all of them were examined by elastic imaging. We set the histology as the reference standard. The elastic strain ratio and elasticity score values, as well as their diagnostic threshold and efficiency, were compared and analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve. Result: Statistically significant differences(P<0.05) in both elastic strain ratio and elasticity score values were detected among the thyroid microcarcinoma and benign groups. The area under the ROC curve of elastic strain ratio was significantly greater than that of elasticity score(0.935 and 0.825, respectively; P<0.05). Using elastic strain ratio ≥3.45 and elasticity score ≥3.00 as diagnostic threshold values, the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of elastic strain ratio for differentiating benign and malignant nodules were 86.51%, 90.32%, and 87.56%, respectively, whereas those of elasticity score were 80.98%, 79.03% and 80.44%, respectively. Conclusion: Ultrasonic elastic strain ratio and elasticity score have very high diagnostic value for the thyroid micronodules of TI-RADS 4, and strain ratio has more advantages.