ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTICS WITH DOPPLEROGRAPHY FOR BENIGN AND MALIGNANT TUMORS OF THE THYROID GLAND

Abstract

Introduction. The thyroid gland is one of the most important organs of the endocrine system and various tumors in this area can have serious consequences for human health. The main diagnostic tool for thyroid tumors is Doppler ultrasound. Aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CDM) for the diagnosis of thyroid tumors by conducting analysis of data from modern clinical studies. Materials and methods. The study included patients who underwent thyroid ultrasound examination (US) during preoperative preparation. Data on node characteristics (size, echogenicity, contours, presence of microcalcifications and other suspicious features) and other clinical parameters were collected from the patients’ medical records. Ultrasound examination was performed using modern high-resolution ultrasound machines equipped with transducers with a frequency of 7.5 to 15 MHz. Particular attention was paid to identifying features characteristic of malignant neoplasms, including the presence of microcalcifications, hypoechogenicity, fuzzy borders, changes in the shape of nodes and the presence of suspicious lymph nodes. Based on the ultrasound data obtained, patients were classified according to the risk assessment system developed by the American Thyroid Association (ATA). This classification is based on the characteristics of nodes detected during ultrasound examination and determines the risk of tumor malignancy. Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis was performed to assess the accuracy and predictive value of the ultrasound classification according to the ATA system. For this purpose, descriptive statistics and regression analysis methods were used. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of ultrasound examination were calculated using the ATA risk classification. Results: We identified 149 malignant nodules (70.6%) and 62 benign nodules (29.3%). It was found that malignant formations were more often characterized by pronounced internal branching vascularization compared to benign ones (145 of 149 cases, 97.3% versus 5 of 62 cases, 8%). It was also shown that according to the CHAMMAS classification, malignant nodules have a predominantly central blood flow compared to peripheral (126 of 149 cases, 87% versus 12.9%). Conclusions: Ultrasound Dopplerography (USDG) has high sensitivity and specificity in the assessment of thyroid tumors, which confirms its importance in clinical diagnostics. This method has high diagnostic value and is an important tool for accurate assessment of the thyroid gland.