scholarly journals Exploring the Value of Radiomics Features Based on B-Mode and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Discriminating the Nature of Thyroid Nodules

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Yan Guo ◽  
Ping Zhou ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Li Qing Jiang ◽  
Yong Feng Zhao

BackgroundWith the improvement of ultrasound imaging resolution and the application of various new technologies, the detection rate of thyroid nodules has increased greatly in recent years. However, there are still challenges in accurately diagnosing the nature of thyroid nodules. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical application value of the radiomics features extracted from B-mode ultrasound (B-US) images combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules by comparing the diagnostic performance of four logistic models.MethodsWe retrospectively collected and ultimately included B-US images and CEUS images of 123 nodules from 123 patients, and then extracted the corresponding radiomics features from these images respectively. Meanwhile, a senior radiologist combined the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) and the enhancement pattern of the ultrasonography to make a graded diagnosis of the malignancy of these nodules. Next, based on these radiomics features and grades, logistic regression was used to help build the models (B-US radiomics model, CEUS radiomics model, B-US+CEUS radiomics model, and TI-RADS+CEUS model). Finally, the study assessed the diagnostic performance of these radiomics features with a comparison of the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve of four logistic models for predicting the benignity or malignancy of thyroid nodules.ResultsThe AUC in the differential diagnosis of the nature of thyroid nodules was 0.791 for the B-US radiomics model, 0.766 for the CEUS radiomics model, 0.861 for the B-US+CEUS radiomics model, and 0.785 for the TI-RADS+CEUS model. Compared to the TI-RADS+CEUS model, there was no statistical significance observed in AUC between the B-US radiomics model, CEUS radiomics model, B-US+CEUS radiomics model, and TI-RADS+CEUS model (P>0.05). However, a significant difference was observed between the single B-US radiomics model or CEUS radiomics model and B-US+CEUS radiomics model (P<0.05).ConclusionIn our study, the B-US radiomics model, CEUS radiomics model, and B-US+CEUS radiomics model demonstrated similar performance with the TI-RADS+CEUS model of senior radiologists in diagnosing the benignity or malignancy of thyroid nodules, while the B-US+CEUS radiomics model showed better diagnostic performance than single B-US radiomics model or CEUS radiomics model. It was proved that B-US radiomics features and CEUS radiomics features are of high clinical value as the combination of the two had better diagnostic performance.

Author(s):  
Yunlin Huang ◽  
Yurong Hong ◽  
Wen Xu ◽  
Kai Song ◽  
Pintong Huang

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Image Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and a modified TI-RADS in differentiating benign and malignant nodules located in the isthmus. Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained. Grayscale ultrasound (US) and CEUS images were obtained for 203 isthmic thyroid nodules (46 benign and 157 malignant) in 198 consecutive patients (156 women, mean age: 44.7 years ± 11.3 [standard deviation]; 47 men, mean age: 40.9 years ± 11.0). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the diagnostic performance of the ACR TI-RADS, CEUS, and the modified TI-RADS were evaluated. Results Lobulated or irregular margins (P = 0.001; odds ratio [OR] = 9.250) and punctate echogenic foci (P = 0.007; OR = 4.718) on US and hypoenhancement (P < 0.001; OR = 20.888) on CEUS displayed a significant association with malignancy located in the isthmus. The most valuable method to distinguish benign nodules from malignant nodules was the modified TI-RADS (AUC: 0.863 with modified TR5), which was significantly better than the ACR TI-RADS (AUC: 0.738 with ACR TR5) (P < 0.001) but showed no significant difference with respect to CEUS (AUC: 0.835 with hypoenhancement) (P = 0.205). The diagnostic value was significantly different between CEUS and the ACR TI-RADS (P = 0.028). Conclusion The modified TI-RADS could significantly improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of thyroid nodules located in the isthmus.


Author(s):  
Pēteris Priedītis ◽  
Maija Radziņa ◽  
Ilze Štrumfa ◽  
Zenons Narbuts ◽  
Arturs Ozoliņs ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Thirty-five patients with morphologically proved thyroid nodules (17 malignant; 18 benign), underwent CEUS examination. Five enhancement patterns were evaluated: vascularisation, homogeneity, presence of peripheral rim type enhancement, wash-out rate of the contrast medium, and enhancement using microvascular imaging application. Time-intensity curves (TIC) were analysed in post-processing and defined as three types: slow versus rapid and stable versus rapid biphasic wash-out. Diagnostic value of the listed CEUS parameters was calculated. The results showed medium strength correlation between morphology (benign versus malignant nodule) and type of TIC curve rs = 0.38 (p = 0.021), as well as between mode of contrast enhancement rs = 0.39 (p = 0.022) and wash-out pattern rs =0.39 (p = 0.024). The overall pooled sensitivity of selected diagnostic parameters was 82%, specificity 57%, and accuracy 70%. Malignant nodules were characterised by iso- or hypovascular contrast enhancement and slow wash-out, while benign nodules showed hypervascular enhancement with rapid wash-out TIC curve and rim-like pattern. The CEUS patterns significantly differed between malignant and benign thyroid nodules with high diagnostic accuracy. Thus, CEUS has important clinical value as an additional tool to ultrasound and fine needle biopsy.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 679-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Iwamoto ◽  
Yasuharu Imai ◽  
Sachiyo Kogita ◽  
Takumi Igura ◽  
Yoshiyuki Sawai ◽  
...  

Objective: We compared the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound sonography (CEUS) with sonazoid and gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI for the assessment of macroscopic classification of nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Seventy-seven consecutive patients with 79 surgically resected HCCs who underwent both preoperative CEUS and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were enrolled in this retrospective study. Based on the macroscopic diagnosis of resected specimens, nodules were categorized into the simple nodular (SN) and non-SN type HCC. Two hepatologists independently assessed image datasets of the post-vascular phase of CEUS and hepatobiliary phase of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI to compare their diagnostic performance. Results: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI enabled the evaluation of macroscopic classification in a significantly larger number of nodules than CEUS (78/79 (98.7%) vs. 70/79 (88.6%), p < 0.05). Of 70 nodules that could be evaluated by both modalities, 41 and 29 nodules were pathologically categorized as SN and non-SN, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for non-SN did not differ between CEUS and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI (reader 1: 0.748 for CEUS, 0.808 for MRI; reader 2: 0.759 for CEUS, 0.787 for MRI). The AUC of combined CEUS and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI for SN HCC was 0.855 (reader 1) and 0.824 (reader 2), indicating higher AUC values for the combined modalities. Conclusions: The diagnostic performance for macroscopic classification of nodular HCC of CEUS was comparable with that of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI, although some HCCs could not be evaluated by CEUS owing to lower detectability. The combination of the 2 modalities had a more accurate diagnostic performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Tao Kong ◽  
Hi-Yun Shen ◽  
Yu-Dong Qiu ◽  
Hao Han ◽  
Bao-Jie Wen ◽  
...  

The aim of this study is to evaluate if contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can improve the differential diagnostic performance of gallbladder (GB) lesions.Materials and methods: Forty-nine patients (18 men, 31 women; mean age, 54.8±14.4 years, range age, 22-78 years) with GB lesions (mass-forming and wall-thickened types) were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent conventional ultrasonography (US) and CEUS examination. The imaging characteristics of GB lesions were analyzed to compare the diagnostic performance of US and CEUS. The final diagnosis was obtained by histopathology.Results: There were significant differences between benign and malignant GB lesions with regards to size, shape, vascularity, the integrity and margin of GB wall and time to iso-enhancement on CEUS (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was found concerning the enhancement patterns between the two groups (p>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the boundary between liver and GB wall (p=0.017) and vascularity on color Doppler flow imaging (p=0.013) were two independent predictors of malignancy. The diagnostic accuracy of US could be improved in combination with CEUS (65.3% vs 83.7%). The diagnostic accuracy of the GB wall thickening type was higher than the mass forming type.Conclusion: CEUS could improve the diagnostic performance of GB lesions, especially for wall-thickened type lesions


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Qiping Liu ◽  
Huiling Gong ◽  
Hui Zhu ◽  
Chunyan Yuan ◽  
Bin Hu

Objective. To study the clinical diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in bladder occupied lesions. Methods. 38 cases of conventional-ultrasound-found bladder occupied lesions did color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and CEUS checks. By comparing the difference between two types of blood flow imaging technologies in displaying the flow of bladder occupied lesions and observing the perfusion modes of contrast agents to enter lesions, the perfusion characteristics of CEUS were analyzed. Finally, they were contrasted with the surgical pathology results. Results. Of all the 38 cases, there were 51 bladder occupied lesions, including 43 bladder malignant tumors, 2 bladder inverted papillomas, and 6 glandular cystitis lesions. The blood flow display rate of bladder occupied lesions was 100% using CEUS. Apparently, it was higher than that of CDFI (62.7%), and the result of these showed a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.05 ). Using CEUS, 46 malignant lesions and 5 glandular cystitis lesions were indicated, and the diagnostic accuracy rate was 86.3%. Conclusion. CEUS can improve the blood flow display rate of bladder occupied lesions, and it can also observe the real-time blood flow of these lesions. It can help judge their nature and has a higher clinical value in differentiating the benign from the malignant.


2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (1111) ◽  
pp. 20190923
Author(s):  
Xin Li ◽  
Feng Gao ◽  
Fan Li ◽  
Xiao-xia Han ◽  
Si-hui Shao ◽  
...  

Objective: To evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of small, solid, TR3–5 benign and malignant thyroid nodules (≤1 cm). Methods: From January 2016 to March 2018, 185 thyroid nodules from 154 patients who underwent contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and fine-needle aspiration or thyroidectomy in Shanghai General Hospital were included. The χ2 test was used to compare the CEUS characteristics of benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and the CEUS features of malignant nodules assigned scores. The total score of the CEUS features and the scores of the above nodules were evaluated according to the latest 2017 version of the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS). The diagnostic performance of the two were compared based on the receiver operating characteristic curves generated for benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Results: The degree, enhancement patterns, boundary, shape, and homogeneity of enhancement in thyroid small solid nodules were significantly different (p<0.05). No significant differences were seen between benign and malignant thyroid nodules regarding completeness of enhancement and size of enhanced lesions (p>0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the TI-RADS classification TR5 in diagnosis of malignant nodules were 90.10%, 55.95%, 74.59%, 72.22%, and 82.46%, respectively (area under the curve [AUC]=0.738; 95% confidence interval[CI], 0.663–0.813). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the total score of CEUS qualitative analysis indicators were 86.13%, 89.29%, 87.57%, 90.63%, and 84.27% respectively (AUC = 0.916; 95% CI, 0.871–0.961). Conclusion: CEUS qualitative analysis is superior to TI-RADS in evaluating the diagnostic performance of small, solid thyroid nodules. Qualitative analysis of CEUS has a significantly higher specificity for diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules than TI-RADS. Advances in knowledge: The 2017 version of TI-RADS has recently suggested the malignant stratification of thyroid nodules by ultrasound. In this paper we applied this system and CEUS to evaluate 185 nodules and compare the results with pathological findings to access the diagnostic performance.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping He ◽  
Lan Zeng ◽  
Liying Miao ◽  
Tianli Wang ◽  
Juxiang Ye ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of double contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS) and multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in the gross classification of gastric cancer (GC) preoperatively. Methods 54 patients with GC proved by histology were included in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of DCEUS and MDCT for gross classification were calculated and compared. The area under the curve (AUC) from a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate the difference of the diagnostic performance between these two methods.Results There were no significant differences between DCEUS and MDCT in terms of AUC values for early gastric cancer (EGC) and Borrmann Ⅰ-Ⅲ (P = 0.248, 0.317, 0.717 and 0.464, respectively). However, the sensitivities of DCEUS for EGC, Borrmann Ⅰ and Borrmann Ⅲ were higher than those of MDCT (75% versus 62%; 100% versus 50%; 90% versus 73%). The specificity of DCEUS for Borrmann Ⅲ was lower than that of MDCT (50% versus 75%). The AUC value of MDCT for Borrmann Ⅳ was significantly higher than that of DCEUS (0.927 versus 0.625; P=0.001). The accuracy and specificity of DCEUS and MDCT for Borrmann Ⅳ were similar, but the sensitivity of MDCT was significantly higher than that of DCEUS (88% versus 25%).Conclusion DCEUS may be considered as a useful complementary imaging modality to MDCT for the evaluation of the gross classification of GC preoperatively.


2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Hong Cheng ◽  
Shuang-Shuang Zhuo ◽  
Xin Rong ◽  
Ting-Yue Qi ◽  
Hong-Guang Sun ◽  
...  

Objectives. To explore the value of applying contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in adjusting the classification of category 4 nodules in the Chinese-Thyroid Imaging Report and Data System (C-TIRADS). Methods. The data of preoperative conventional ultrasound and CEUS examinations of 125 C-TIRADS 4 nodules in 109 patients were retrospectively analyzed. We divided the thyroid nodules into two groups based on whether recommend by the guide fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Group I included C-TIRADS 4A nodules with a maximum diameter ≤15 mm and C-TIRADS 4B and 4C nodules with a maximum diameter ≤10 mm, and Group II included C-TIRADS 4A nodules with a maximum diameter >15 mm and C-TIRADS 4B and 4C nodules with a maximum diameter >10 mm. In CEUS, thyroid nodules showing suspicious malignant features such as hypoenhancement or early washout were adjusted to a level higher in the C-TIRADS classification; thyroid nodules showing possible benign features such as iso- or hyperenhancement were adjusted to a level lower; and thyroid nodules showing no enhancement were adjusted to C-TIRADS 3. Taking the pathological results as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the C-TIRADS classification before and after the adjustment based on CEUS were plotted, and the diagnostic efficiency was compared. Results. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of the C-TIRADS classification for the diagnosis of thyroid nodule malignancy before the adjustment based on the CEUS results were 83.6%, 63.8%, 74.4%, 72.7%, and 77.1%, respectively, and these values were 91.0%, 82.8%, 87.2%, 85.9%, and 88.9%, respectively, after the adjustment. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.737 and 0.869, respectively, showing a significant difference (Z = 3.288, P = 0.001 ). The diagnostic efficiency of C-TIRADS classification after the adjustment based on the CEUS results in both groups was improved compared with the result before the adjustment, and the difference in Group II was significant (Z = 2.931, P = 0.003 ). Conclusions. CEUS significantly improved the diagnostic performance in the adjustment of C-TIRADS 4 nodule classification, especially for the nodules which needs FNA recommended by the C-TIRADS.


Author(s):  
Yi Dong ◽  
Yijie Qiu ◽  
Daohui Yang ◽  
Lingyun Yu ◽  
Dan Zuo ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of dynamic contrast enhanced ultrasound (D-CEUS) in predicting the microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 16 patients with surgery and histopathologically proved HCC lesions were included. Patients were classified according to the presence of MVI: MVI positive group (n = 6) and MVI negative group (n = 10). Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) examinations were performed within a week before surgery. Dynamic analysis was performed by VueBox ® software (Bracco, Italy). Three regions of interests (ROIs) were set in the center of HCC lesions, at the margin of HCC lesions and in the surrounding liver parenchyma accordingly. Time intensity curves (TICs) were generated and quantitative perfusion parameters including WiR (wash-in rate), WoR (wash-out rate), WiAUC (wash-in area under the curve), WoAUC (wash-out area under the curve) and WiPi (wash-in perfusion index) were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: All of HCC lesions showed arterial hyperenhancement (100 %) and at the late phase as hypoenhancement (75 %) in CEUS. Among all CEUS quantitative parameters, the WiAUC and WoAUC were higher in MVI positive group than in MVI negative group in the center HCC lesions (P <  0.05), WiAUC, WoAUC and WiPI were higher in MVI positive group than in MVI negative group at the margin of HCC lesions. WiR and WoR were significant higher in MVI positive group. CONCLUSIONS: D-CEUS with quantitative perfusion analysis has potential clinical value in predicting the existence of MVI in HCC lesions.


Author(s):  
Dian Yuan Lu ◽  
Lan Liu ◽  
Li Shen ◽  
Jian Rong Cai ◽  
Li Xu ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To investigate prostate cancer detection rate of different biopsy protocols in different PSA value groups in rural China. METHODS: A total of 186 patients underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in order to determine the puncture target prior to biopsy were enrolled in this retrospective study. All patients underwent 12-core SB combined with CEUS-TB. The biopsy results of different biopsy protocols were compared in patients with stratification by PSA value. RESULTS: Among the 186 patients underwent prostate biopsy, the histopathologic results revealed prostate cancer (PCa) in 117 cases (62.9%) and benign lesions in 69 cases (37.1%). The PCa detection rate between 8-core SB and 12-core SB showed no significant difference in PSA 4–10 ng/ml group, while the 12-core SB was significantly higher than CEUS-TB (44.9% versus 32.7% , P = 0.01). In PSA 10–20 ng/ml group, the significant difference was not seen between SB and CEUS-TB (50.0% versus 45.7% , P = 0.15). As for PSA greater than 20 ng/ml group, the PCa detection rate by SB was higher than CEUS-TB, but showed no statistically significance (79.1% versus 76.9% , P = 0.15). In the overall patients, the biopsy core positive rate of CEUS-TB was significantly higher than SB (97% versus 55.5% and 28.5% , P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The flexible use of SB combined with CEUS-TB can reduce the number of biopsy cores in higher PSA groups. It has clinical importance in the detection of PCa in different PSA value groups in rural China.


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