The role of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the applicability of shear wave elastography (SWE) in the diagnosis of chronic autoimmun thyroiditis (CAT) patients. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 50 patients with first-diagnosed CAT and 40 control subjects (CS). In all patients with CAT and CS, sonoelastographic measurements were made in both thyroid lobes. Optimal cut-off values were chosen to maximize the sum of sensitivity and specificity. Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy values were also calculated. Results: Quantitative elastographic analysis evaluated by SWE in CAT patients (2.56 ± 0.30 m/s) was significantly higher compared with CS (1.63 ± 0.12 m/s) (p<0.001). The optimal cut-off value was 2.42 m/s. SWE had 77% sensitivity, 71% specificity, 92% PPV, 81% NPV, and 87% accuracy for the presence of CAT. Conclusions: Our data indicate that SWE correctly defines the elasticty of thyroid parenchyma, and this technique may assist in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of CAT.

Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse Quantification in the Evaluation of Thyroid Elasticity in Pediatric Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis

“…In the studies evaluating adults with Hashimoto thyroiditis, the optimal cutoff value of the SWV for differentiating patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis from controls ranged between 1.96 and 2.42 m/s, with various sensitivity and specificity values . The optimal cutoff value in this study was 1.41 m/s, with 73.1% sensitivity, 80.8% specificity, a 79.2 % positive predictive value, and a 75.0% negative predictive value (area under the curve, 0.806; P < .001).…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies in the literature about the use of ARFI in pediatric patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. There were only a limited number of studies in adults, and only a few of these were performed with ARFI elastography . In a study by Sporea et al, the mean SWV of the thyroid gland in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (2.43 ± 0.58 m/s) was found to be significantly higher than that in healthy participants (2.00 ± 0.40 m/s).…”

Assessment of Parotid and Submandibular Glands With Shear Wave Elastography Following Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

“…Elastography is a new imaging technique that provides information regarding tissue hardness using ultrasound waves . Shear wave elastography (SWE) with acoustic radiation force impulse is a quantitative method of elastography that uses acoustic radiation force impulse imaging to measure the shear wave velocity (SWV) of a target area inside the region of interest (ROI) without external compression and can estimate minor differences inside the ROI.…”

Is There Any Difference Between Seminomas and Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors on Shear Wave Elastography?

“…Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a novel elastographic method that tracks shear waves passing through tissues, identifying the elastic modulus 7 . Although the diagnosis is not histopathologic in nature, SWE yields valuable quantitative information on potential lesion malignancy and stiffness 7 . Stiff lesions are usually malignant; benign lesions are softer 7 , 8 .…”

“…Although the diagnosis is not histopathologic in nature, SWE yields valuable quantitative information on potential lesion malignancy and stiffness 7 . Stiff lesions are usually malignant; benign lesions are softer 7 , 8 . Elastography has been effective in the diagnosis of breast, thyroid, and prostate tumors 9 , 10 …”