Combining CEUS and ultrasound parameters in thyroid nodule and cancer diagnosis: a TIRADS-based evaluation

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) has been established as a diagnostic tool for assessing microvascularization, essential for understanding angiogenesis in neoplastic development. Aim: This study assesses the effectiveness of CEUS as a supplementary tool to TIRADS in enhancing the ultrasound-based diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Methods and Materials: Over one year, 157 nodules in 133 patients, with predominantly solid thyroid nodules, were examined using ultrasound and CEUS and underwent thyroidectomy, allowing for a comparison of ultrasound findings with pathological reports. Results: Thyroid cancer was identified in 31.21% (49/157) of cases. Significant CEUS high-risk features included inhomogeneous enhancement, enhancement defects, and complete hypoenhancement (AUC 0.818, 0.767, 0.864 respectively). Nodules exhibiting any of these features were classified as high-risk in CEUS. The diagnostic performance of TIRADS improved when combined with CEUS, with AUC increasing from 0.707 to 0.840 and improved sensitivity. Conclusion: The integration of CEUS with TIRADS significantly enhances the diagnostic accuracy and specificity in identifying thyroid cancer. This combination proves to be a more effective method for risk stratification and diagnosis, highlighting the value of CEUS as an adjunctive tool in thyroid cancer evaluation.