title: Thyroid nodule parameters influencing performance of ultrasound elastography using intrinsic compression.
abstract: The influence of nodule parameters on the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US) elastography in differentiating thyroid nodules was evaluated. One hundred seventy-six nodules (83 benign, 93 malignant) from 156 patients were included. Conventional B-mode and elastography examinations were performed. External compression with a transducer was not applied, as the pulsation from the carotid artery was used. Three nodule parameters (size, depth and distance to the carotid artery) were measured. The elasticity contrast index, in which increases with the stiffness of the nodules, was correlated with distance to the carotid artery (correlation coefficient = 0.283 in all nodules and 0.415 in malignant nodules, p < 0.01 in both groups). The diagnostic accuracy of elastography was significantly associated with a nodule's distance to the carotid artery (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between the diagnostic accuracy of elastography and the other parameters. Elastography results for nodules close to the carotid artery should be interpreted with caution.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic Univeristy of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic Univeristy of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ja-Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Creative IT Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaechan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic Univeristy of Korea, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: ldj6026@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Dong-Jun
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Creative IT Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Korea; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Yongmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods*; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033081:Shear Strength; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Diagnostic accuracy; Elastography; Parameter; Thyroid nodule