Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer

Verzakova Irina V., Putenikhin Sergey Yu., Gumerova Gulnara T., Verzakova Olga V.

The method of contrast-enhanced ultrasound using contrast agents (CEUS) is recognized as very promising in the early and differential diagnosis of focal thyroid pathology, however, there are very few publications on this topic in russian literature. The aim of the study was to increase the efficiency of diagnosis of patients with various forms of tumor formations of the thyroid gland using ultrasound duplex scanning using contrast agents and puncture techniques of focal lesions. Materials and methods. The results of a comprehensive examination of 100 patients with benign pathology and thyroid cancer are presented. All patients underwent B-mode ultrasound (ultrasound), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (KU-ultrasound) and cytological examination of the obtained biomaterial with a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) puncture biopsy. Results. Qualitative signs of benign and malignant formations of the thyroid gland were revealed. Among the quantitative indicators of contrast enhancement for benign thyroid formations, the following are characteristic: TTP node - 21.17 ± 3.06 s, TTP parenchyma - 22.74 ± 3.19 s, TTP index - 1.07 ± 0.06; PI node - 32.9 ± 3.14 dB, PI parenchyma - 30.86 ± 2.01 dB, PI index - 0.94 ± 0.06; DT / 2 node - 78.16 ± 16.27 s, DT / 2 parenchyma - 74.04 ± 14.73 s, DT / 2 index - 0.95 ± 0.09. Quantitative indicators of contrast enhancement for malignant tumors of the thyroid gland are as follows: TTP node - 21.93 ± 3.29 s, TTP parenchyma - 23.313.22 s, TTP index - 1.07 ± 0.12; PI node - 31.65 ± 2.54 dB, PI parenchyma - 29.88 ± 2.45 dB, PI index - 0.95 ± 0.09; DT / 2 node - 62.41 ± 9.82 s, DT / 2 parenchyma - 69.58 ± 11.05 s, DT / 2 index - 1.12 ± 0.13. Conclusion. Ultrasound using contrast agents, the determination of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of vascularization increase the effectiveness of differential diagnosis of focal thyroid formations and can be recommended for widespread use in the clinic.

Keywords:benign thyroid gland formation, thyroid cancer, ultrasound examination, fine-needle aspiration puncture biopsy, contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination.