Application value of virtual touch tissue imaging for differential diagnosis of thyroid solid nodules

Objective: To explore the value of elastogram grading and area ratio of virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI) of acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for the differential diagnose of benign and malignant thyroid solid nodules. Methods: A total of 194 thyroid solid nodules of 152 patients were underwent conventional ultrasound, ultrasound elasticity imaging (EI), and VTI examinations. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. The value and diagnostic performance of VTI elastogram grading, area ratio, and ultrasound EI elastogram scoring for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant nodules were studied. Results: The VTI elastogram grades of malignant thyroid nodules (thyroid carcinoma) were significantly higher than those of benign nodules (P<0.001) and VTI area ratios of malignant nodules were significantly bigger than those of benign nodules (P<0.001). Results of ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal threshold value of VTI elastogram grading was grade IV and the optimal threshold value of area ratio was 1.05. The area under ROC curve of VTI elastogram grading was significantly larger than those of EI elastogram scoring and VTI area ratio (P<0.05). Conclusion: VTI elastogram grading and area ratio can provide useful information for the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign thyroid solid nodules. The diagnostic performance of VTI elastogram grading is better than that of EI elastogram scoring and VTI area ratio.