title: The value of virtual touch tissue image (VTI) and virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the value of virtual touch tissue image (VTI) and virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and seven patients with 113 thyroid nodules were performed conventional ultrasound and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography. The stiffness of the nodules on virtual touch tissue image (VTI) was graded, and the area ratios (AR) of nodules on VTI images versus on B-mode images were calculated. Shear wave velocity (SWV) within the thyroid nodules were measured using virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) technique. The pathological diagnosis as the gold standard draws the receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) to find the cut-off point of VTI grades, AR and SWV to predict thyroid cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference in VTI grades of malignant and benign nodules was statistically significant (P<0.05), as well as in AR and SWV. There was no significant difference in the AR of nodules or the SWV of nodules in benign group or in malignant group. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of VTI grades, AR, and SWV in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules were calculated. There was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy among the three methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VTI grades, AR of nodules on VTI images versus on B-mode images and SWV within the nodules can help the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.
authors.affiliation: Ultrasound Department, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang 050011, China. Electronic address: 148126008@qq.com.
authors.forename: Feng-Juan
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Ultrasound Department, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang 050011, China. Electronic address: 13832191660@163.com.
authors.forename: Ruo-Ling
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Ultrasound Department, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 12 Jiankang Road, Shijiazhuang 050011, China. Electronic address: 18531117263@163.com.
authors.forename: Xin-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014110:Touch; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: Acoustic radiation force impulse; Thyroid nodules; Ultrasound; Virtual touch tissue image; Virtual touch tissue quantification