title: Off-site evaluation of three-dimensional ultrasound for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules: comparison with two-dimensional ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared the diagnostic performance of off-site evaluation between prospectively obtained 3D and 2D ultrasound for thyroid nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  3D and 2D ultrasonographies were preoperatively obtained from 85 consecutive patients (mean age, 51 years; age range, 28-83 years) who were referred for a total thyroidectomy. Three radiologists independently evaluated 3D and 2D images of 91 pathologically confirmed thyroid nodules (30 benign and 61 malignant nodules) for nodule characterization. Diagnostic performance, interobserver agreement and time for scanning were compared between 3D and 2D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3D had significantly higher sensitivities than 2D for predicting malignancy (78.7 % vs. 61.2 %, P < 0.01) and extrathyroidal extension (66.7 % vs. 46.4 %, P = 0.03) in malignancy. In terms of specificities, there were no statistically significant differences between 2D and 3D for predicting malignancy (78.4 % vs. 74.8 %, P = 1.00) and extrathyroidal extension (63.6 % vs. 57.6 %, P = 0.46). With respect to interobserver agreement, 3D showed moderate agreement (κ = 0.53) for predicting extrathyroidal extension in malignancy compared with 2D ultrasound, which showed fair agreement (κ = 0.37). 3D saved time (30 ± 56.52 s) for scanning compared with 2D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For off-site evaluation, 3D US is more useful for diagnosis of thyroid nodules than 2D US.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • 3D had higher sensitivity than 2D for predicting malignancy and extrathyroidal extension. • 3D showed better agreement for predicting extrathyroidal extension in malignancy than 2D. • 3D thyroid ultrasound saved time for scanning compared with 2D. • For off-site evaluation of thyroid nodules, 3D is more useful than 2D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gangnam Center, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System, 39F Gangnam Finance Center, 737 Yeoksam dong, Gangnam Gu, Seoul, Korea, 135-984.|Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Soo Chin
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744. jihnkim@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Seung Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Tae Jin
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Jae Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Sun Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gangnam Center, Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System, 39F Gangnam Finance Center, 737 Yeoksam dong, Gangnam Gu, Seoul, Korea, 135-984.|Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Hye Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Korea University Guro Hospital, 148 Gurodong-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Inseon
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ryoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.|Department of Radiology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, 20 Boramae-ro 5-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 28 Yongon-Dong, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea, 110-744.
authors.forename: Chul-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Diagnosis; Off-site evaluation; Three-dimensional ultrasound; Thyroid nodule; Two-dimensional ultrasound