Objective:

To investigate the value of ultrasound elasticity contrast index (ECI) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Methods:

A total of 85 patients with 120 thyroid nodules were examined with high resolution ultrasonography. Two-dimensional ultrasonographic features and distance to the carotid artery were recorded

and elastography was performed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of ECI for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules was

drawn with the surgical pathology as the gold standard.

Results:

Of the 120 nodules

65 were malignant and 55 were benign. The ECI value of malignant nodules was significantly higher than that of benign nodules (

P

0.01). The optimal cutoff value of ECI in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules was 2.90. The ECI value in calcification group was significantly higher than that in non-calcification group (

P

0.01)

but no statistically significant difference was found between benign and malignant nodules within the two groups. The ECI values of all nodules and malignant nodules were closely related to the distance to the carotid artery

with the correlation coefficient of 0.298 and 0.397

respectively (

P

0.001). The diagnostic performance of ECI was superior in malignant nodules with distance to the carotid artery 10 mm than those with distance to the carotid artery 10 mm.

Conclusion:

ECI has certain values in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules and provides an important supplement to conventional ultrasound.