Ultrasound-based deep learning in the establishment of a breast lesion risk stratification system: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a breast lesion risk stratification system using ultrasound images to predict breast malignancy and assess Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) categories simultaneously. METHODS: This multicenter study prospectively collected a dataset of ultrasound images for 5012 patients at thirty-two hospitals from December 2018 to December 2020. A deep learning (DL) model was developed to conduct binary categorization (benign and malignant) and BI-RADS categories (2, 3, 4a, 4b, 4c, and 5) simultaneously. The training set of 4212 patients and the internal test set of 416 patients were from thirty hospitals. The remaining two hospitals with 384 patients were used as an external test set. Three experienced radiologists performed a reader study on 324 patients randomly selected from the test sets. We compared the performance of the DL model with that of three radiologists and the consensus of the three radiologists. RESULTS: In the external test set, the DL model achieved areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of 0.980 and 0.945 for the binary categorization and six-way categorizations, respectively. In the reader study set, the DL BI-RADS categories achieved a similar AUC (0.901 vs. 0.933, p = 0.0632), sensitivity (90.98% vs. 95.90%, p = 0.1094), and accuracy (83.33% vs. 79.01%, p = 0.0541), but higher specificity (78.71% vs. 68.81%, p = 0.0012) than those of the consensus of the three radiologists. CONCLUSIONS: The DL model performed well in distinguishing benign from malignant breast lesions and yielded outcomes similar to experienced radiologists. This indicates the potential applicability of the DL model in clinical diagnosis. KEY POINTS: • The DL model can achieve binary categorization for benign and malignant breast lesions and six-way BI-RADS categorizations for categories 2, 3, 4a, 4b, 4c, and 5, simultaneously. • The DL model showed acceptable agreement with radiologists for the classification of breast lesions. • The DL model performed well in distinguishing benign from malignant breast lesions and had promise in helping reduce unnecessary biopsies of BI-RADS 4a lesions.

Impact of bariatric surgery on carotid intima-media thickness and arterial stiffness in metabolically healthy obesity: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with obesity. Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), in which people do not have metabolic disorders, is a transient state of obesity. However, over the long term, a proportion of individuals with MHO develop metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to investigate the effect of substantial weight loss following bariatric surgery in MHO on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and pulse-wave velocity (PWV), which are independent predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS: This prospective study included 38 patients (34 women, four men) undergoing bariatric surgery who had severe obesity but without comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia), and 28 control individuals who were matched for age and sex. CIMT and PWV of the left common carotid artery were measured. At 12-month follow-up after bariatric surgery, measurements were repeated in the 38 patients with obesity. RESULTS: Mean baseline body mass index (BMI) in the MHO group was 40.55 ± 3.59 kg/m2, which decreased by 33.1% after bariatric surgery. Compared with controls, CIMT and PWV were increased in MHO (543.53 ± 55.29 vs. 407.82 ± 53.09 µm, 6.70 ± 1.22 vs. 5.45 ± 0.74 m/s, respectively; all P < 0.001). At 12 months post-bariatric surgery, CIMT in MHO was lower than baseline (466.79 ± 53.74 vs. 543.53 ± 55.29 µm, P = 0.009), but PWV was not significantly different from baseline (6.27 ± 0.86 vs. 6.70 ± 1.22 m/s, P = 0.132). Multivariate regression showed that BMI was an independent predictor of CIMT (ß = 0.531, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Carotid artery structure and function were impaired in MHO, and improved carotid artery structure was associated with weight loss in MHO after bariatric surgery.

Ultrasound strain elastography to improve diagnostic performance of breast lesions by reclassifying BI-RADS 3 and 4a lesions: a multicenter diagnostic study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the added value of strain elastography (SE) by recategorizing ultrasound (US) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 3 and 4a lesions. METHODS: A total of 4371 patients underwent US and SE with BI-RADS 2-5 categories solid breast lesions were included from thirty-two hospitals. We evaluated the elastographic images according to elasticity scores (ES) and strain ratios (SR). Three combined methods (BI-RADS+ES, BI-RADS+SR, BI-RADS+ES+SR) and two reclassified methods were used (method one: upgrading BI-RADS 3 and downgrading BI-RADS 4a, method two: downgrading BI-RADS 4a alone). The diagnostic performance and the potential reduction of unnecessary biopsies were evaluated. RESULTS: Combining BI-RADS with SE had a higher area under the curve (AUC) than BI-RADS alone (0.822-0.898 vs. 0.794, P<0.01). For reclassified method one, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 99.36%, 66.70%, 78.36% for BI-RADS+ES and 98.01%, 66.45%, 77.72% for BI-RADS+SR, and 99.42%, 66.70%, 78.38% for BI-RADS+ES+SR, respectively. For reclassified method two, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 99.17%, 70.72%, 80.87% for BI-RADS+ES and 97.76%, 81.75%, 87.46% for BI-RADS+SR, and 99.23%, 69.83%, 80.32% for BI-RADS+ES+SR, respectively. Downgrading BI-RADS 4a alone had higher AUC, specificity, and accuracy (P<0.01) and similar sensitivity (P>0.05) to upgrading BI-RADS 3 and downgrading BI-RADS 4a. Combining SE with BI-RADS could help reduce unnecessary biopsies by 17.64%-55.20%. CONCLUSIONS: Combining BI-RADS with SE improved the diagnostic performance in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions and could decrease false-positive breast biopsy rates. Downgrading BI-RADS 4a lesions alone might be sufficient for achieving good diagnostic performance. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Downgrading BI-RADS category 4a lesions alone had higher AUC, specificity, and accuracy, and similar sensitivity to upgrading or downgrading BI-RADS category 3 and 4a lesions.

Clinical value of radiofrequency ultrasonic local estimators in classifying breast lesions.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to summarize the features of radiofrequency ultrasonic local estimator (RULES) images of benign and malignant masses and to explore the diagnostic value of RULES scores to identify breast lumps. METHODS: A total of 81 women with a mean age ± SD of 41.33 ± 12.03 years (range, 19-68 years) with 82 lesions seen at our hospital were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System grade 2 to 5 breast lesions, preoperative 2-dimensional (2D) ultrasound (US) examinations and RULES image acquisition, no treatment before the US examinations, surgical resection in our hospital, and histopathologic results. Each RULES characteristic was scored on the basis of expected values for malignant characteristics, and this RULES scoring system was assessed by a receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Of the 82 lesions, 45 were benign, and 37 were malignant. Malignancy was associated with multiple colors, red as the main color, colors distributed in 3 or more locations, aggregated colors, and more than half of the area filled with colors. A RULES score of 7 had the highest sum of sensitivity (67.6%) and specificity (95.6%) and the highest accuracy (82.9%) for diagnosis of malignancy. When 2D US imaging a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category of 4 was combined with a RULES score of 4 to detect breast cancer, the sensitivity was 83.8%; the specificity was 93.3%; and the accuracy increased to 89.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The use of RULES images and characteristics is helpful in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions. Diagnostic accuracy can be improved by combining 2D US imaging and RULES.

Diagnostic efficacy of a combination of the Chinese thyroid imaging reporting and data system and shear wave elastography in detecting category 4a and 4b thyroid nodules.

Objectives: Differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TIRADS) category 4a and 4b nodules can be difficult using conventional ultrasonography (US). The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of a combination of the Chinese-TIRADS (C-TIRADS) and shear wave elastography (SWE) in detecting malignant nodules among category 4a and 4b thyroid nodules. Methods: Among 409 thyroid nodules in 332 patients that we included in this study, 106 thyroid nodules were diagnosed as category 4a and 4b using C-TIRADS. We used SWE to measure the maximum Young's modulus (Emax) values of category 4a and 4b thyroid nodules. We calculated the diagnostic efficacy of only the C-TIRADS, only SWE, and a combination of C-TIRADS with SWE, and compared these, while taking the pathology results as the gold standard. Results: The area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and accuracy values of the combination of C-TIRADS and SWE (0.870, 83.3%, and 84.0%, respectively) were all higher when compared with the values of only the C-TIRADS (0.785, 68.5%, and 78.3%, respectively) or only SWE (0.775, 68.5%, and 77.4%, respectively) in the diagnosis of category 4a and 4b thyroid nodules. Conclusion: In this study, we found that the combination of C-TIRADS and SWE significantly improved the diagnostic efficacy in detecting malignant nodules among category 4a and 4b thyroid nodules, and this could provide a reference for further use of this combination by clinicians for diagnosis and treatment.

Quantitative evaluation of renal tissue changes in patients with liver cirrhosis by shear wave elastography.

PURPOSE: Hepatocirrhotic nephropathy progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis, and early detection of renal changes in patients with cirrhosis is particularly important for its prevention and treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the early diagnosis of hepatocirrhotic nephropathy. METHODS: 206 hepatic cirrhosis patients with normal conventional renal function were enrolled and divided into Child-Pugh grade A (Group A), Child-Pugh grade B (Group B), and Child-Pugh grade C (Group C) according to the Child-Pugh grading method. Meanwhile, 60 healthy volunteers matched in age and sex were selected as the control group. The maximum Young's modulus (Emax), average Young's modulus (Emean), and minimum Young's modulus (Emin) of the left renal parenchyma were measured by SWE in all subjects. The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of the left renal parenchyma were compared between the cirrhosis and control groups. RESULTS: The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of left renal parenchyma in cirrhosis group were higher than those in control group (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). The Emax, Emean, and Emin values of left renal parenchyma in cirrhosis group B and group C were higher than those in control group (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00; p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00), but these values in cirrhosis group A were not significantly different from control group(p = 0.48, 0.52, 0.92). Comparison of the Emax, Emean, and Emin values in left renal parenchyma of three cirrhosis groups, the values of Group B and Group C were higher than those of Group A (p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00; p = 0.00, 0.00, 0.00), and there was no significant difference between Group B and Group C (p = 0.71, 0.18, 0.39). CONCLUSION: SWE can detect renal tissue damage in patients with liver cirrhosis earlier than changes identified during routine laboratory examination by quantitatively measuring the elastic parameters of renal parenchyma and may become a new method for early diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome.

Evaluation of right heart function changes in patients with pulmonary hypertension via two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging: a retrospective study.

Objective: To realize the changes in pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients' right ventricular function.Methods: A total number of 74 patients with PH were included, and the parameters of standard echocardiographic were measured as well as the strain of peak longitudinal of each segment during the systole of the right ventricle to calculate the global longitudinal strain (LS) during systole of the right ventricular free wall.Results: ① As pulmonary arterial pressure increased, the right ventricular area gradually increased, and the case group showed the decreased right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), and tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity (S') (p < 0.05). They, RVFAC, and TAPSE depicted significant differences that were statistical (p < 0.05) from the other groups. ② With increasing pulmonary arterial pressure, the right ventricular free wall's LS gradually reduced (p < 0.05).Conclusion: ① LS right ventricular free wall is useful in detecting changes in right ventricular systolic function early on with greater sensitivity than RVFAC, TAPSE, and S'. In addition, increased right ventricular pressure loading can result in a subsequent impairment of right ventricular myocardial mechanics. ② As right ventricular pressure loading increases, right ventricular strain decreases. ③ In mild PH, the right ventricular free wall's. LS is more sensitive than standard measures in spotting early alterations in myocardial mechanics.

Upper trapezius muscle elasticity in cervical myofascial pain syndrome measured using real-time ultrasound shear-wave elastography.

Background: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common cause of neck pain, which is a global public health problem. Because MPS does not present morphological changes within lesioned muscles, there are no imaging diagnostic criteria for this condition. In this study, we evaluate elasticity changes in upper trapezius muscles most frequently involved in cervical MPS using real-time ultrasound shear-wave elastography, and we examine their potential diagnostic value. Methods: We consecutively enrolled 109 right posterior neck pain patients for this prospective study. Of these, 51 were diagnosed with MPS and 58 with non-MPS in the right side of their neck. Among MPS patients, 19 fell into the 1-3 range (mild pain) for pain scores on the visual analog scale (VAS), 25 fell into the 4-6 range (moderate pain), and 7 into the 7-10 range (severe pain). MPS was diagnosed by two independent clinicians using the diagnostic criteria proposed by Simons et al. Using real-time ultrasound shear-wave elastography, we measured right trapezius mean shear-wave velocity (SWVmean). The midpoint of the line between the foramen magnum and the end of the right acromion served as measuring point. Regions of interest were scaled to span 0-8.0 m/s. Results: Trapezius SWVmean was significantly higher in MPS patients compared with non-MPS patients (P<0.001). Stratified analysis of MPS patients according to pain severity revealed similar trapezius SWVmean between mild pain and non-MPS patients (P=0.324), however SWVmean was higher in moderate and severe pain MPS patients compared with non-MPS patients (P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) value for upper trapezius SWVmean in MPS patients was 0.791 (95% CI: 0.703-0.863). Corresponding sensitivity and specificity values were 86.27% (95% CI: 73.7-94.3%) and 62.07% (95% CI: 48.4-74.5%). Stratified analysis of MPS patients by pain severity produced the following AUC values for trapezius SWVmean in MPS patients with mild, moderate, and severe pain: 0.578 (95% CI: 0.460-0.690), 0.899 (95% CI: 0.814-0.955), and 0.983 (95% CI: 0.914-0.999), respectively. Conclusions: Elasticity changes and increased stiffness in the trapezius occur in cervical MPS patients with moderate and severe pain. The SWVmean parameter reflecting trapezius muscle elasticity may be valuable for successful screening of cervical MPS, especially in patients with moderate and severe pain.

The impact of different left ventricular geometric patterns on right ventricular deformation and function in the elderly with hypertension: A two-dimensional speckle tracking and three-dimensional echocardiographic study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different left ventricular geometric patterns on right ventricular deformation and function in the elderly with essential hypertension via two-dimensional speckle tracking and three-dimensional echocardiography. Methods: A total of 248 elderly people with essential hypertension were divided into four groups based on the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT): the normal geometric, concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, and concentric hypertrophy groups. Moreover, 71 participants were recruited as the control group. These participants were examined by two-dimensional speckle tracking and three-dimensional echocardiography to obtain the right ventricular strain parameters, three-dimensional volume, and function parameters. Results: The right ventricular strain parameters decreased gradually from the normal geometric group to the concentric hypertrophy group (P < 0.05), and the strain parameters in the concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, and concentric hypertrophy groups were lower than those in the control and normal geometric groups (P < 0.05). The right ventricular three-dimensional echocardiographic parameters only changed in the eccentric hypertrophy group (P < 0.05) and the concentric hypertrophy group (P < 0.05) in the form of an increase in volume and a decrease in function. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain was independently associated with the systolic blood pressure (SBP), LVMI, and RWT (P < 0.05) and was primarily affected by the LVMI (normalized ß = 0.637, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The systolic function of the right ventricular myocardium declined in the elderly with essential hypertension due to impaired myocardial mechanics. The right ventricular strain parameters could indicate mechanical damage in the concentric remodeling group earlier than the right ventricular three-dimensional volume and function parameters. The right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain was primarily subject to the LVMI.

Analysis of the Influence of Thyroid Nodule Characteristics on the Results of Shear Wave Elastography.

Objective: To analyze the ultrasonic characteristics of false-negative and false-positive results of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules to clarify the influence of nodular characteristics on SWE and to guide the clinical application of SWE. Methods: A total of 435 thyroid nodules from 343 patients with the diagnosis confirmed by surgical pathology were analyzed. Preoperative ultrasonography and SWE were conducted. The conventional ultrasound characteristics of thyroid nodules and the maximum Young's modulus were recorded. The false negativity and false positivity of SWE for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules were calculated. The ultrasonic characteristics of thyroid nodules with SWE false results were analyzed, and logistic regression analysis was adopted to determine the ultrasonic characteristics associated with SWE false results of thyroid nodules. Results: Among 323 malignant nodules, the SWE false negativity was 27.2% (88/323). The false positivity of SWE in 112 benign nodules was 19.6% (22/112). Regression analysis showed that an increase in the nodule volume increased the risk of SWE false-positive results (odds ratio [OR] 3.286; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.572-6.871; P = 0.002) and decreased the risk of false-negative results (OR 0.238; 95% CI: 0.115-0.493; P < 0.001). Nodules with coarse calcification had an increased risk of SWE false-positive results compared with those without calcification (OR 5.303; 95% CI: 1.098-25.619; P = 0.038). However, nodules with scattered hyperechoic foci had a reduced risk of SWE false-negative results (OR 0.515; 95% CI: 0.280-0.951; P = 0.034). Conclusion: Nodular size and calcification were correlated with SWE false results, and the clinical application of SWE should be combined with conventional ultrasound features. Fine needle aspiration or a puncture biopsy should be conducted if necessary.

Can Ultrasound Elastography Help Better Manage Mammographic BI-RADS Category 4 Breast Lesions?

BACKGROUND: To assess the performance of conventional ultrasound (US) combined with strain elastography (SE) in the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4 lesions on mammography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women with breast lesions identified as having mammography BI-RADS 4 lesions and underwent US examination were included in China. US features and US BI-RADS assessment were recorded in real-time and prospectively reported. The pathological result was referred to as the gold standard. The performance of US in the mammographic BI-RADS category 4 lesions was evaluated. Diagnostic performances of US BI-RADS, SE and combined both were compared. RESULTS: A total of 751 women with 751 breast lesions classified as mammographic BI-RADS category 4 were included. For mammographic findings, 530 (70.6%) were true positive and 221 (29.4%) were false positive. Conventional US achieved higher positive predictive value (PPV) than mammography (78.5% vs. 70.6%, P=.001). The specificity increased from 34.4% to 47.1% (P< .001) without any loss in sensitivity and the PPV increased to 81.9% (P = .122) when conventional US was used in combination with SE. For conventional US combined with SE, it led to a correct diagnosis of no breast cancer in 104 of the 221 false-positive findings (47.1%) and achieved higher PPV than mammography regardless of patient age and lesion size. CONCLUSION: Conventional US combined with SE is a helpful tool for the noninvasive examination of breast lesions classified as BI-RADS category 4 on mammography. It helped increase the PPV and had the potential to avoid unnecessary biopsies of BI-RADS category 4 lesions detected on mammography.

Deep learning based on ultrasound images assists breast lesion diagnosis in China: a multicenter diagnostic study.

BACKGROUND: Studies on deep learning (DL)-based models in breast ultrasound (US) remain at the early stage due to a lack of large datasets for training and independent test sets for verification. We aimed to develop a DL model for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions on US using a large multicenter dataset and explore the model's ability to assist the radiologists. METHODS: A total of 14,043 US images from 5012 women were prospectively collected from 32 hospitals. To develop the DL model, the patients from 30 hospitals were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 4149) and an internal test cohort (n = 466). The remaining 2 hospitals (n = 397) were used as the external test cohorts (ETC). We compared the model with the prospective Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System assessment and five radiologists. We also explored the model's ability to assist the radiologists using two different methods. RESULTS: The model demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance with the ETC, with a high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, 0.913), sensitivity (88.84%), specificity (83.77%), and accuracy (86.40%). In the comparison set, the AUC was similar to that of the expert (p = 0.5629) and one experienced radiologist (p = 0.2112) and significantly higher than that of three inexperienced radiologists (p < 0.01). After model assistance, the accuracies and specificities of the radiologists were substantially improved without loss in sensitivities. CONCLUSIONS: The DL model yielded satisfactory predictions in distinguishing benign from malignant breast lesions. The model showed the potential value in improving the diagnosis of breast lesions by radiologists.

Gail Model Improves the Diagnostic Performance of the Fifth Edition of Ultrasound BI-RADS for Predicting Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The sonographic appearance of benign and malignant breast nodules overlaps to some extent, and we aimed to assess the performance of the Gail model as an adjunctive tool to ultrasound (US) Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) for predicting the malignancy of nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2018 to 2019, 2607 patients were prospectively enrolled by 35 health care facilities. An individual breast cancer risk was assessed by the Gail model. Based on B-mode US, color Doppler, and elastography, all nodules were evaluated according to the fifth edition of BI-RADS, and these nodules were all confirmed later by pathology. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the Gail model, age, tumor size, tumor shape, growth orientation, margin, contour, acoustic shadowing, microcalcification, presence of duct ectasia, presence of architectural distortion, color Doppler flow, BI-RADS, and elastography score were significantly related to breast cancer (all p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and area under the curve (AUC) for combining the Gail model with the BI-RADS category were 95.6%, 91.3%, 85.0%, 97.6%, 92.8%, and 0.98, respectively. Combining the Gail model with the BI-RADS showed better diagnostic efficiency than the BI-RADS and Gail model alone (AUC 0.98 vs 0.80, p < 0.001; AUC 0.98 vs 0.55, p < 0.001) and demonstrated a higher specificity than the BI-RADS (91.3% vs 59.4%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Gail model could be used to differentiate malignant and benign breast lesions. Combined with the BI-RADS category, the Gail model was adjunctive to US for predicting breast lesions for malignancy. For the diagnosis of malignancy, more attention should be paid to high-risk patients with breast lesions.

The Utility of the Fifth Edition of the BI-RADS Ultrasound Lexicon in Category 4 Breast Lesions: A Prospective Multicenter Study in China.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in clinical breast radiology by using prospective multicenter real-time analyses of ultrasound (US) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 2049 female patients (age range, 19-86 years; mean age 46.88 years) with BI-RADS category 4 breast masses in 32 tertiary hospitals. All the patients underwent B-mode, color Doppler US, and US elastography examination. US features of the mass and associated features were described and categorized according to the fifth edition of the BI-RADS US lexicon. The pathological results were used as the reference standard. The positive predictive values (PPVs) of subcategories 4a-4c were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 2094 masses were obtained, including 1124 benign masses (54.9%) and 925 malignant masses (45.1%). For BI-RADS US features of mass shape, orientation, margin, posterior features, calcifications, architectural distortion, edema, skin changes, vascularity, and elasticity assessment were significantly different for benign and malignant masses (p< 0.05). Typical signs of malignancy were irregular shape (PPV, 57.2%), spiculated margin (PPV, 83.7%), nonparallel orientation (PPV, 63.9%), and combined pattern of posterior features (PPV, 60.6%). For the changed or newly added US features, the PPVs for intraductal calcifications were 80%, 56.4% for internal vascularity, and 80% for a hard pattern on elastography. The associated features such as architectural distortion (PPV, 89.3%), edema (PPV, 69.2%), and skin changes (PPV, 76.2%) displayed high predictive value for malignancy. The rate of malignant was 7.4% (72/975) in category 4a, 61.4% (283/461) in category 4b, and 93.0% (570/613) in category 4c. The PPV for category 4b was higher than the likelihood ranges specified in BI-RADS and the PPVs for categories 4a and 4c were within the acceptable performance ranges specified in the fifth edition of BI-RADS in our study. CONCLUSION: Not only the US features of the breast mass, but also associated features, including vascularity and elasticity assessment, have become an indispensable part of the fifth edition of BI-RADS US lexicon to distinguish benign and malignant breast lesions. The subdivision of category 4 lesions into categories 4a, 4b, and 4c for US findings is helpful for further assessment of the likelihood of malignancy of breast lesions.

Influence of lesion size on shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

In shear wave elastography (SWE) studies, the optimal cutoff value of Young's modulus for the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules varies greatly, which affects the clinical application of the method. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of thyroid nodule size on the clinical diagnostic efficacy of SWE. A total of 356 thyroid nodules of 280 patients were divided into three groups according to size (Group A: ≤ 1 cm; Group B: 1-2 cm; Group C: ≥ 2 cm). SWE was used to measure the maximum Young's modulus (Emax) values of all thyroid nodules. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn with pathological results as the gold standard. For all nodules, the optimal cutoff value of Emax in SWE for diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules was 36.2 kPa. The sensitivity and specificity were 76.5% and 78.4%, respectively. Groups A, B, and C had different optimal Emax cutoff values of 33.7 kPa, 37.7 kPa, and 55.1 kPa, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of Groups A, B, and C (0.844, 0.886, and 0.935, respectively) were all greater than the values for all lesions (0.830). The specificity values of Groups A, B, and C (86.4%, 82.6%, and 88.2%, respectively) were all increased, and the sensitivity values of Groups B and C (89.7% and 96.4%, respectively) were also increased compared with the values for all lesions. Thyroid nodule size affects the optimal Emax cutoff value of SWE. We suggest that different cutoff values be used to diagnose benign and malignant thyroid nodules according to lesion size.

Shear wave elastography combined with gray-scale ultrasound for predicting central lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between shear wave elastography (SWE) elasticity indices of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and to evaluate the value of SWE combined with gray-scale ultrasound (US) for predicting preoperative CLNM. METHOD: This study included 172 patients with a pathology diagnosis of PTC who underwent preoperative gray-scale US and SWE evaluation. Patients were divided into CLNM-positive and CLNM-negative groups. We analyzed the association between SWE elasticity indices (Emax, Emean and Emin) and CLNM, compared the diagnostic efficacy of gray-scale US alone versus SWE combined with gray-scale US for predicting CLNM, and analyzed the influence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on the diagnostic efficacy of CLNM. RESULTS: SWE elasticity values Emax, Emean and Emin were significantly higher in CLNM-positive patients (P=0.000, 0.000 and 0.003, respectively). The AUC of Emax was higher than that of other SWE indices for predicting CLNM (AUC = 0.749; 95% CI = 0.676-0.822). In multivariate analysis, microcalcification (OR = 5.254; 95% CI = 2.496-11.061), extrathyroidal extension (OR = 4.210; 95% CI = 1.423-12.456), multifocality (OR = 3.084; 95% CI = 1.190-7.991) and Emax >59.0 kpa (OR = 4.934; 95% CI = 2.318-10.500) were independent risk factors for predicting CLNM. The AUC of SWE combined with gray-scale US for predicting CLNM (AUC = 0.825; 95% CI = 0.760-0.879) was significantly higher (P = 0.011) than that for gray-scale US alone (AUC = 0.774; 95% CI = 0.704-0.834). There was no significant difference in AUC between the HT and non-HT subgroups in predicting CLNM (0.798 vs. 0.833, P = 0.640). CONCLUSIONS: SWE can be used to predict CLNM in PTC patients. SWE combined with gray-scale US can improve the prediction of CLNM.

The Systolic and Diastolic Cardiac Function of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Evaluation of Left Ventricular Strain and Torsion Using Conventional and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify left ventricular (LV) myocardial strain and torsion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and evaluate their systolic and diastolic function using conventional and speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods: Forty-seven patients with T2DM were divided into a group without microvascular complications (the DM A group) and a group with microvascular complications (the DM B group), while another 27 healthy participants acted as the control group. All the participants had had an echocardiography examination. All the original data were imported into EchoPAC workstation for the analysis and quantification of LV strain and torsion. Results: Compared with the control group, the LV end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction of the DM A and DM B groups showed no significant differences, but the global longitudinal strain and the global circular strain were reduced in the DM B group. There were significant differences in the left ventricular relative wall thickness (RWT), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), the early mitral valvular blood flow velocity peak/left ventricular sidewall mitral annulus late peak velocity, left ventricular sidewall mitral annulus early peak velocity/left ventricular sidewall mitral annulus late peak velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, peak twisting, peak untwisting velocity (PUV), untwisting rate (UntwR), time peak twisting velocity (TPTV), and time peak untwisting velocity (TPUV) between the DM A, DM B, and control groups. While the peak twisting velocity (PTV) was slower in the DM B group compared with the control group, the RWT, PTV, PUV, UntwR, TPTV, and TPUV in the DM B group were significantly different from the DM A group. Conclusion: The cardiac function of patients with T2DM in its early stages, when there are no microvascular complications, could be monitored with the analysis of two-dimensional strain and torsion.

Clinical Value of Shear Wave Elastography Color Scores in Classifying Thyroid Nodules.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical value of qualitative shear wave elastography (SWE) color in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. METHODS: From January 2017 to July 2018, 241 patients with 261 thyroid nodules, who underwent conventional ultrasonography and SWE examination before surgical resection, were enrolled. The nodules were also evaluated by histopathologic analyses. The SWE color characteristics that could differentiate malignant and benign thyroid nodules were selected and scored based on the malignancy rate. The diagnostic performances were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis. RESULTS: Among the 261 thyroid nodules, 58 were benign, and 203 were malignant. Malignancy was associated with orange or red as the color of maximum hardness inside a nodule, green as the primary color, with a "stiff rim," inhomogeneous internal color, and inhomogeneous color between the nodules and its surrounding areas. The SWE color scores for benign thyroid nodules were mainly 0 and 1, while 4 and 5 were for malignant thyroid nodules. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the SWE color score ≥3 for the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules was 0.828 (95% CI: 0.764, 0.891) with a sensitivity of 82.8%, a specificity of 82.8%, and an accuracy of 83.1%. Additionally, conventional ultrasound combined with SWE color scores had a higher diagnostic performance than conventional ultrasound (AUC 0.820 vs AUC 0.796, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The SWE color scores might be a convenient and effective method to assist in differentiating thyroid nodules.

Risk-predicted dual nomograms consisting of clinical and ultrasound factors for downgrading BI-RADS category 4a breast lesions - A multiple centre study.

Purpose: To develop and to validate a risk-predicted nomogram for downgrading Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4a breast lesions. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 680 patients with breast lesions that were diagnosed as BI-RADS category 4a by conventional ultrasound from December 2018 to June 2019. All 4a lesions were randomly divided into development and validation groups at the ratio of 3:1. In the development group consisting of 499 cases, the multiple clinical and ultrasound predicted factors were extracted, and dual-predicted nomograms were constructed by multivariable logistic regression analysis, named clinical nomogram and ultrasound nomogram, respectively. Patients were twice classified as either "high risk" or "low risk" in the two nomograms. The performance of these dual nomograms was assessed by an independent validation group of 181 cases. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and diagnostic value were calculated to evaluate the applicability of the new model. Results: After multiple logistic regression analysis, the clinical nomogram included 2 predictors: age and the first-degree family members with breast cancer. The area under the curve (AUC) value for the clinical nomogram was 0.661 and 0.712 for the development and validation groups, respectively. The ultrasound nomogram included 3 independent predictors (margins, calcification and strain ratio), and the AUC value in this nomogram was 0.782 and 0.747 in the development and validation groups, respectively. In the development group of 499 patients, approximately 50.90% (254/499) of patients were twice classified "low risk", with a malignancy rate of 1.18%. In the validation group of 181 patients, approximately 47.51% (86/181) of patients had been twice classified as "low risk", with a malignancy rate of 1.16%. Conclusions: A dual-predicted nomogram incorporating clinical factors and imaging characteristics is an applicable model for downgrading the low-risk lesions in BI-RADS category 4a and shows good stability and accuracy, which is useful for decreasing the rate of invasive examinations and surgery.

Primary Borderline Mucinous Testicular Tumor: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Primary mucinous tumors of the testis and paratestis are very rare, with only 29 reported cases detected in a PubMed search. The histopathological characteristics of primary testicular mucinous tumors are similar to their ovarian counterparts, and the diagnosis and naming criteria refer to the criteria for female ovarian mucinous tumors. However, the clinical and imaging features of primary testicular mucinous tumors are poorly understood, and they are thus frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. We present the case of a patient with a primary testicular mucinous tumor. A 52-year-old man presented with a 1-year history of painless enlargement of the left scrotum. Ultrasound examination revealed a cystic mass in the left testis, with viscous fluid areas and calcified spots, irregular solid bulges on the cyst wall, and a small blood supply. Serum alpha-fetoprotein, ß-human chorionic gonadotropin, lactate dehydrogenase, renal function, inflammatory markers, and routine urine and blood examinations were all normal. The patient underwent radical resection of the left testis. Postoperative pathology showed a multilocular cystic mass, with the inner wall of the sac lined with mucous columnar epithelial cells, some with mild nuclear atypia, and no interstitial infiltration. The pathological diagnosis was testicular mucinous tumor. Postoperative abdominal and pelvic computed tomography, colonoscopy, and gastroscopy showed no suspicious lesions. The final diagnosis was primary testicular borderline mucinous tumor. The patient underwent postoperative follow-up examinations once a year for 4 years. Serum tumor markers, scrotal ultrasound, abdominal and pelvic computed tomography scans, and colonoscopy and gastroscopy revealed no evidence of metastases or other primary adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the clinical and imaging characteristics of primary testicular mucinous tumors, which might aid their differential diagnosis.