title: Investigation of Acoustic Structure Quantification in the Diagnosis of Thyroiditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of acoustic structure quantification (ASQ) to diagnose thyroiditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The echogenicity of 439 thyroid lobes, as determined using ASQ, was quantified and analyzed retrospectively. Thyroiditis was categorized into five subgroups. The results were presented in a modified chi-square histogram as the mode, average, ratio, blue mode, and blue average. We determined the cutoff values of ASQ from ROC analysis to detect and differentiate thyroiditis from a normal thyroid gland. We obtained data on the sensitivity and specificity of the cutoff values to distinguish between euthyroid patients with thyroiditis and patients with a normal thyroid gland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ASQ values for patients with thyroiditis were statistically significantly greater than those for patients with a normal thyroid gland (p < 0.001). The AUCs were as follows: 0.93 for the ratio, 0.91 for the average, 0.90 for the blue average, 0.87 for the mode, and 0.87 for the blue mode. For the diagnosis of thyroiditis, the cutoff values were greater than 0.27 for the ratio, greater than 116.7 for the mean, and greater than 130.7 for the blue average. The sensitivities and specificities were as follows: 84.0% and 96.6% for the ratio, 85.3% and 83.0%, for the average, and 79.1% and 93.2% for the blue average, respectively. The ASQ parameters were successful in distinguishing patients with thyroiditis from patients with a normal thyroid gland, with likelihood ratios of 24.7 for the ratio, 5.0 for the average, and 11.6 for the blue average. With the use of the aforementioned cutoff values, the sensitivities and specificities for distinguishing between patients with thyroiditis and euthyroid patients without thyroiditis were 77.05% and 94.92% for the ratio, 85.25% and 82.20% for the average, and 77.05% and 92.37% for the blue average, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ASQ can provide objective and quantitative analysis of thyroid echogenicity. ASQ parameters were successful in distinguishing between patients with thyroiditis and individuals without thyroiditis, with likelihood ratios of 24.7 for the ratio, 5.0 for the average, and 11.6 for the blue average.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Jisang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Chul-Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: A Leum
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 420-767, Korea.
authors.forename: Heon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013966:Thyroiditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: acoustic structure quantification; hypothyroidism; thyroid gland; thyroiditis; ultrasonography