Abstract：Objective: To investigate the performance of thyroid nodules with contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) and the correlation between CEUS quantitative parameters and microvessel density(MVD), to provide pathologic basis for different perfusion characteristics of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Methods: The CEUS features of 122 patients with thyroid nodules were retrospectively analyzed. The time-intensity curves(TIC) were analyzed by TomTec software. Immunohistochemical staining were performed to evaluate the MVD in the surgical specimens, and the correlation of quantitative parameters with MVD were assessed. Results: When the ultrasound contrast enhancement to the peak, the thyroid carcinoma showed homogeneous hypo-enhancement, nodular goiter showed iso-enhancement, thyroid adenoma showed hyper-enhancement. IMAX and MVD of thyroid carcinoma were lower than nodular goiter and thyroid adenoma, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). A positive correlation existed between the IMAX and MVD(rCD31=0.814，PCD31＜0.01; rCD34=0.803, PCD34＜0.01). Conclusions: Hypo-enhancement was the important CEUS enhancement patterns to diagnose thyroid carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma was lack of blood supply.
2015, Vol. 26 
