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.