Color Doppler ultrasonographic diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To assess the value of color Doppler ultrasonogarphy in the diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis (SAT). Methods Sixty-eight patients of SAT and 30 patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma were included, and their imaging features were retrospectively reviewed. Results All the patients with SAT had either focal or diffuse hypoechogenicity of the thyroid lobes with rich blood supplying in the diseased region, among them 52 patients (76.47%, 52/68) had tenderness on palpation. Diffuse and focal lesions were found in 40 (58.82%, 40/68) and 28 patients (41.18%, 28/68). The boundary and shape of focal lesions had no diagnostic characteristics compared with those of thyroid papillary carcinoma. Punctate calcification and resistance index (RI) in the nodule were significant different between the SAT and thyroid papillary carcinoma (P＜0.05). Conclusion Color Doppler ultrasonography can display the features of SAT and is an effective method for the diagnosis of SAT.