Diagnostic Value sonoelastography in Differential Diagnosis of thyroiD noDules

Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Minin and Pozharsky Square, 10/1, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005The aim of the investigation was to assess the reliability of main sonoelastographic diagnostic criteria of thyroid cancer and determine sonoelastography efficiency in pre-operative diagnostics of thyroid nodules based on a complex of radiological, cytologic and histologic methods.Materials and Methods. The study involved 372 patients with thyroid nodules, among them there were 87 (13%) male and 285 (87%) female patients; mean age being 44.90±0.30 years. All the patients underwent standard diagnostic procedures: an endocrinal examination, a hormone laboratory test, an ultrasound investigation using color flow Doppler supplemented by sonoelastography, as well as fine-needle aspiration biopsy of nodules followed by cytologic analysis.Results. Diagnosis of “adenoma or cancer” in 80 patients (95%) made on the basis of sonoelastographic and cytologic findings was confirmed by histologic examination of surgical materials. Sonoelastography sensitivity in thyroid cancer detection is 95.3%, specificity — 98.2%, diagnostic accuracy — 96%.Conclusion. Qualitative elastographic characteristics of nodules (blue staining) and quantitative value of strain ratio, which equals to over 4, are high-specific in pre-operative thyroid cancer diagnosis. Sonoelastography application improves the diagnostic accuracy of a pre-operative diagnostic complex of thyroid nodule facilitating the management of patients with thyroid pathology.Key words: thyroid cancer; sonoelastography; thyroid nodules.For contacts: Orlinskaya Natalia Yurievna, phone +7 920-071-21-07; е-mail: orlinskaya@rambler.ru