title: [Ultrasonic scores of conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid nodular lesions].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the values of total ultrasonic scores of conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid nodular lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 347 thyroid nodules proved by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and surgery underwent preoperative conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography. The features on gray scale, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and elastograms were documented and total ultrasonic scores recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 347 nodules, 184 nodules were benign and 163 malignant. Significant differences of total ultrasonic scores were found between thyroid carcinoma and benign nodular lesions including the parameters of nodular shape, edge, echoes, sound attenuation, psammous calcifications, internal blood flow and ultrasound elastography score. The higher the total ultrasonic scores, the more possibility of thyroid carcinoma was. By the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curve, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of distinguishing thyroid carcinoma from benign nodular lesions was 84.0%, 89.6% and 84.9% if the cut-off value of total ultrasonic scores was over 4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid lesions, the total ultrasonic scores of conventional ultrasound and ultrasound elastography can offer greater values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasonography, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China.
authors.forename: Cao-xin
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Zhi-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xue-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Pin-tong
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guo-qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Yu-rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Min-qiang
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Hui-fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Weng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult