Objective:

To explore the application value of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) in differentiating benign and malignant tumors by detecting the tiny blood flow in prostate nodules.

Methods:

A total of 65 suspicious nodules in 52 patients who planned to undergo prostate pun

cture detected by transrectal ultrasound were examined by SMI and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)

and the blood flow in the nodules were graded to determine the diagnosis of their benign and malignant respectively. The consistency between SMI and CEUS in detecting the tiny blood flow in prostate nodules was compared

and the efficacy of the two methods in the diagnosis of prostate cancer was evaluated based on the biopsy pathological results as the gold standard.

Results:

SMI and CEUS showed good consistency in detecting the tiny blood flow in prostate nodules

with Kappa value of 0.76. The final pathological results showed that of the 65 nodules

27 were malignant (clinically significant prostate cancer in 26 cases

non- significant prostate cancer in 1 case) and 38 were benign. The diagnostic sensitivity

specificity and accuracy of SMI for prostate nodules were 74.1% (20/27)

73.7% (28/38) and 73.8% (48/65) respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity

specificity and accuracy of CEUS were 85.2% (23/27)

81.6% (31/38) and 83.1% (54/65) respectively

and there was no significant statistical difference in diagnostic sensitivity

specificity and accuracy between the two methods (

2

=1.027

P

=0.311;

2

=0.682

P

=0.409;

2

=1.731

P

=0.188).

Conclusion:

SMI has a good consistency with CEUS in the diagnosis of suspicious prostate nodules and the detection of tiny bloodflow in nodules

it can be used to assist in the differential diagnosis of suspicious prostate nodules.