Quantitative analysis of suspicious thyroid nodules by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of suspicious thyroid nodules of different pathological types on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with quantitative analysis software (Qlab). Methods: A total of 101 suspicious thyroid nodules were recruited from 90 adult patients undergoing ultrasound (US), CEUS and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNCA). The CEUS characteristics were quantitatively analyzed by investigators blind to the pathological information. Results: In 68 benign thyroid nodules, the proportion of single nodules was higher (54.4%) than that of miliary nodules (n = 2-4), and most of them were identical-in, slow-out and hypoenhancement as compared to adjacent normal tissues. In 17 malignant thyroid nodules, most of them were slow-in, identical-out and more hypoenhancement as compared to adjacent normal tissues on CEUS. Conclusion: Benign thyroid nodules show identical-in, slow-out and hypoenhancement while malignant thyroid nodules have slow-in, identical-out and more hypoenhancement as compared to adjacent normal tissues on CEUS. Quantitative analysis of thyroid nodules on CEUS may help to identify suspicious nodules and select a proper treatment.