The value of focal echogenicity types in diagnosing different thyroid nodules / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the applicational value of identifying different types of echogenic foci and distinguishing the lesions between benign and malignant lesions in histopathology classification.Methods:The detailed clinical data of 223 patients (264 thyroid nodules) with echogenic foci in preoperative ultrasound from October 2018 to December 2019 in the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. The echogenic foci were categorized as big comet-tail artifact, small comet-tail artifact, microcalcification, coarse calcification, peripheral calcification and eggshell calcification. At the same time, other ultrasonographic features were included in order to comparatively analyze with postoperative pathological findings. Independent samples t test and univariate chi-square test were performed to obtain meaningful information of sex, age, body mass index (BMI), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), serum free triiodothyronine (FT 3), serum free thyroxine (FT 4), aspect ratio, composition, margin, echo type, echogenic foci; Logistic regression analysis was performed to screen out the independent influence factors in order to forecast malignant lesions. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the ralationships between the clinical indicators and the pathologic results of thyroid lesions. Results:Among the 264 lesions, there were 219(83.0%) malignant nodules and 45(17.0%) benign nodules. For malignant lesions, except for big comet-tail artifact, other types of echogenic foci were all founded, including 152(69.4%) microcalcification, 41(18.7%) small comet-tail artifact, 17(7.8%) coarse calcification, 7(3.2%) peripheral calcification, 2(0.9%) eggshell calcification. While in benign lesions, there were 13(28.9%) microcalcification, 9(20.0%) coarse calcification, 8(17.8%) peripheral calcification, 6(13.3%) small comet-tail artifact, 6(13.3%) big comet-tail artifact, 3(6.7%) eggshell calcification with all echogenic foci types included. Univariate analysis showed that differences between benign and malignant lesions regarding age, serum FT 4, aspect ratio, composition, margin, echo type, echogenic foci were statistically significant (all P<0.05), Logistic regression analysis indicated that age, serum FT 4, hypoechoic, solid, small comet-tail artifact and microcalcification were independent influence factors for malignancy( OR=0.946, 0.026, 47.656, 9.032, 7.925, 12.767; all P<0.05), age and serum FT 4 were correlated with the pathologic results of thyroid lesions ( rs=-0.259, -0.156; all P<0.05). Conclusions:It is highly suggestive of malignancy when the thyroid lesions are solid, hypoechoic, and echogenic foci type is small comet-tail artifact or microcalcification.