Value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma
ZHU Bei-lin, WU Hong-xun, WANG Jun, ZANG Ya-ping, ZHANG Bing-jie
Department of Ultrasound, Jiangyuan Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine,Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Wuxi Jiangsu 214063, China
Abstract：Objective: To analyze the ultrasonographic(US) features of thyroid medulary carcinoma(MTC), and to discuss the diagnostic value of US. Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2012, 51 malignant lesions proved to be MTC by histopathology in 39 patients were included in the study. Results: An anteroposterior/transverse diameter ratio less than one was seen in most of the nodules(80%). Irregular shape was seen in 44 nodules(86%). Clear border was seen in 32 nodules(63%). Forty-eight nodules were hypoechoic(94%). Calcification was seen in 33 nodules(62%), most of which was microcalcification(52%, 17/33). Degeneration was relatively infrequent. Pattern Ⅳ color flow image was seen in 28 nodules(55%). Pattern Ⅱor Ⅳ in real time elastography was seen in 6 nodules(50%, 6/12). Fourteen patients had cervical metastatic nodules(36%, 14/39). Conclusion: Some US features of MTCs were similar with papillary thyroid carcinoma or follicular tumors.
2014, Vol. 25 
