title: Contrast-enhanced sonography of thyroid nodules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differentiation of benign and malignant nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eighty-nine patients with 213 thyroid nodules were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent preoperative CEUS and were subsequently scheduled for surgery. The pathology results were obtained after surgery. The time-intensity curves were plotted with TomTec software. The quantitative parameters of the time-intensity curve, such as the maximum intensity of peak (IMAX), the rise time from 10% to 90% of the IMAX, and the time to peak, were compared between the benign and malignant nodules.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in the rise time or the time to peak among thyroid papillary carcinoma, nodular goiter, and follicular adenoma. However, a significant difference was identified in the IMAX.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A quantitative evaluation of CEUS is helpful to differentiate benign and malignant thyroid nodules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hongli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yanhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: cancer; contrast agents; follicular adenoma; goiter; quantitative parameter; thyroid; time-intensity curve; ultrasonography