title: Thyroid nodules: evaluation with power Doppler and duplex Doppler ultrasound.
abstract: This study purposes a new classification of thyroid nodules blood flow by power duplex Doppler ultrasound. A total of 177 nodules were studied with B-mode scanning, power Doppler, and spectral analysis. These data were compared with cytological results from ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. The power Doppler analysis of the nodules produced 5 vascular patterns: I, absence of signal blood flow; II, exclusively perinodular blood flow; III, perinodular >/= central blood flow; IV, central blood flow > perinodular blood flow; V, exclusively central blood flow. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between these vascular patterns and cytological results. The spectral analysis demonstrated that the resistance index were higher in nodules with malignant versus other cytology ( P < 0.001). The results indicate that power duplex Doppler facilitates screening of thyroid nodules at high risk for malignancy with elevated sensitivity (92.3%) and specificity (88%).
authors.affiliation: Division of Ultrasound (Radiology Institute), University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil. mcchammas@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chammas
authors.forename: Renê
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerhard
authors.forename: Ilka Regina Souza
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Azzo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Widman
authors.forename: Nestor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Barros
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferraz
authors.forename: Giovanni Guido
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Cerri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014655:Vascular Resistance