Objective:

To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) combined with acoustic elastography in differential diagnosis of Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) 4 lesions.

Methods:

The routine ultrasound

acoustic elastography and CEUS data of 120 patients with a total 144 TI-RADS 4 lesions were retrospectively analyzed. The pathological findings were set as the gold standard to build the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Then the values of CEUS

acoustic elastography and CEUS combined with acoustic elastography in differential diagnosis of TI-RADS 4 lesions were compared.

Results:

The sensitivity

specificity and accuracy were 89.96%

86.67%

88.19% for CEUS; 81.16%

81.33%

81.25% for acoustic elastography; and 94.20%

92.00%

93.06% for CEUS combined with acoustic elastography. The combination of two methods had the highest diagnostic efficacy

with significant difference (

P

0.05).

Conclusion:

CEUS combined with acousticTIelastography is helpful in differentiating benign and malignant TI-RADS 4 lesions.