Usefulness of semiquantitative elastography in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively review the diagnostic capacity of semiquantitative elastography in differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules.


METHODS
We analyzed 314 thyroid nodules in 295 consecutive patients referred to the endocrinology department for cytological study, studying all by conventional ultrasonography, elastography, and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Using a semiquantitative elastography system that portrays tissue stiffness through a color map, we designed our own classification system for thyroid nodules based on their characteristics on elastography. We classified nodules into three groups: predominantly soft, predominantly stiff, and mosaic patterned. We used logistic regression analysis to investigate the relation between elastography and thyroid cancer.


RESULTS
We obtained a definite diagnosis of malignancy after surgery in 19 nodules, of which on elastography 8 had the mosaic pattern, 6 were predominantly stiff, and 5 were predominantly soft. We found no significant association between the pattern on elastography and the probability of malignancy in any of the models.


CONCLUSIONS
According to our study, la probability of malignancy in a thyroid nodule is not related to the findings at elastography. Therefore, semiquantitative elastography as used in this study cannot obviate FNAC.
Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Centro Médico de Especialidades Ramón y Cajal, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España. Electronic address: caroluliaque@hotmail.com.
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Franco Uliaque
Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Centro Médico de Especialidades Ramón y Cajal, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
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Pardo Berdún
Centro Universitario de la Defensa, Zaragoza, España.
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Laborda Herrero
Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Centro Médico de Especialidades Ramón y Cajal, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España.
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Pérez Lórenz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
Biopsia; Biopsy; Elastografía; Elastography; Nódulo tiroideo; Thyroid nodule