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Ultrasound Elastography of Thyroid Nodules

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Thyroid and Parathyroid Ultrasound and Ultrasound-Guided FNA

Abstract

Elastography technologies provide a new dimension in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. B-mode ultrasound imaging creates visualization of thyroid nodules but has a low sensitivity for predicting malignancy. Strain and shear wave elastography are next-generation technologies in evaluating thyroid nodules. They investigate differences in the mechanical properties of structures by applying an external force and monitoring the deformation response. Recent studies have demonstrated that strain and shear wave elastography stratify the malignancy risk for thyroid nodules as a single variable and in conjunction with other B-mode ultrasound features. Elastography can be added to B-mode ultrasound examinations of thyroid nodules. These technologies may improve our ability to detect thyroid cancer and lead to fewer unnecessary fine needle aspiration biopsies and thyroid surgeries. However, more prospective studies are required to determine the precise value of these new technologies in specific thyroid nodule subgroups.

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Abbreviations

ARFI:

Acoustic radiation force impulse

ES:

Elastography score

FNAB:

Fine needle aspiration biopsy

kPa:

Kilopascals

m/s:

Meters per second

NPV:

Negative predictive value

PPV:

Positive predictive value

PTC:

Papillary thyroid cancer

ROI:

Region of interest

SWE:

Shear wave elastography

SWV:

Shear wave velocity

US:

Ultrasound

VTIQ:

Virtual tissue imaging quantification

VTQ:

Virtual touch quantification

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Disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrinology, Wilmington Endocrinology, Wilmington, NC, USA

    Ghobad Azizi MD

  2. Internal Medicine and Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA

    Carl D. Malchoff MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Ghobad Azizi MD
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  2. Carl D. Malchoff MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ghobad Azizi MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Daniel S. Duick

  2. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Thyroid Center of New Hampshire, St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua, NH, USA

    Robert A. Levine

  3. Florida State University, College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Mark A. Lupo

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Azizi, G., Malchoff, C.D. (2018). Ultrasound Elastography of Thyroid Nodules. In: Duick, D., Levine, R., Lupo, M. (eds) Thyroid and Parathyroid Ultrasound and Ultrasound-Guided FNA . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67238-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67238-0_16

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-67237-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-67238-0

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