JianQiao Zhou

Stiffness of the surrounding tissue of breast lesions evaluated by ultrasound elastography.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the stiffness of the surrounding tissue of breast lesions using the strain ratio assessment method by ultrasound (US) elastography.MethodsThis was an institutional ethics committee approved prospective study. A total of 127 breast lesions in 118 women (mean age 48.23 ± 14.32, range 20–90) were examined with conventional and elastographic US. The strain ratio assessment method was utilized to semi-quantitatively evaluate the stiffness of the breast lesions and the surrounding tissue.ResultsFifty-five lesions were malignant and 72 were benign. The strain ratio of the surrounding tissue was significantly higher in malignant cases (1.49 ± 0.67) than in benign ones (1.17 ± 0.44) (P = 0.001), and yielded an Az value of 0.669 in the diagnosis of breast lesions. There was a significant high positive correlation between the strain ratio of the lesion and the strain ratio of the surrounding tissue in the malignant group (r = 0.740, P < 0.001), and a significant moderate positive correlation in the benign group (r = 0.595, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe stiffness of the surrounding tissue of malignant breast lesions was higher than that of benign lesions. The strain ratio of the surrounding tissue and the lesions was significantly correlated, and has potential for breast lesion diagnosis.Key Points• Stiffness of the surrounding tissue of malignant breast lesions was increased.• Stiffness of the surrounding tissue correlated with stiffness of breast lesions.• Stiffness of the surrounding tissue has potential use in diagnosis of breast lesions.

Differences in Sonographic Features of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Between Neck Lymph Node Metastatic and Nonmetastatic Groups

The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma between neck lymph node metastatic and non‐metastatic groups.

Blood perfusion of the contralateral testis evaluated with contrast-enhanced ultrasound in rabbits with unilateral testicular torsion.

The changes of blood perfusion of contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion remain controversial. In this study, 28 New Zealand white male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. Group A (n = 8), the control group, underwent a sham operation on the unilateral testis without inducing testicular torsion. In groups B, C, and D (n = 5 each), unilateral testicular torsion was induced, and, after 3, 6 or 24 h, respectively, detorsion was performed. In group E (n = 5), permanent unilateral testicular torsion was applied. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was used to observe the blood perfusion of the contralateral testis at the following stages: pre-torsion (preopration), immediately post-torsion (postopration), pre-detorsion, immediately post-detorsion, and late-stage post-detorsion (6-12 h post-detorsion in groups B-D) or at a similar time point (15-21 h post-torsion in group E). Time-intensity curves were generated, and the following parameters were derived and analyzed: arrival time, time to peak intensity, peak intensity, and half-time of the descending peak intensity. The analysis revealed that blood perfusion of the contralateral testis increased immediately after testicular torsion on the opposite side (P < 0.05), which increased with prolonged testicular torsion of the other testis. This research demonstrated that contrast-enhanced ultrasound was valuable in evaluating blood perfusion of the contralateral testis after unilateral testicular torsion.

Comparison of fine‐needle aspiration and fine‐needle capillary sampling of thyroid nodules: A prospective study with emphasis on the influence of nodule size

The objective of this study was to compare the sampling efficiency of ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) and fine‐needle capillary (FNC) sampling in thyroid nodules, in which the authors specifically analyzed the influence of nodule size.

Axillary Staging of Early-Stage Invasive Breast Cancer by Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology: Which Ultrasound Criteria for Classifying Abnormal Lymph Nodes Should Be Adopted in the Post-ACOSOG Z0011 Trial Era?

Ultrasound (US)‐guided fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is able to identify patients with extensive node involvement before surgery. In this study, we aimed to establish the optimal US criterion to identify abnormal lymph nodes on US‐guided FNAC for detection of patients with 3 or more metastatic axillary nodes.

Sonographic findings of localized Castleman disease of the abdomen and pelvis

The purpose of this study was to sonographically evaluate the diagnosis of localized Castleman disease in the abdomen and pelvis.

Size and Ultrasound Features Affecting Results of Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Nodules

Our goal was to assess the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasound (US)‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules according to size and US features.

Breast strain elastography: Observer variability in data acquisition and interpretation

OBJECTIVE To analyze the observer reproducibility of breast strain elastography in elasticity image acquisition and elasticity image interpretation. METHODS This was an institutional ethics committee approved prospective study. One hundred twenty-four breast lesions in 118 women (mean age 45.39 ± 12.97 years old, range 21-77 years old) were examined with strain elastography by two blinded radiologists in turn. Three blinded observers separately reviewed and recorded the elasticity score of each lesion obtained by the two performers. The interobserver reproducibility of elasticity image acquisition between the two performers, the interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of elasticity image interpretation among observers were evaluated. The diagnostic performance of strain elastography was compared between the two performers. RESULTS Fifty-three lesions were malignant and 71 were benign. The interobserver kappa value was 0.438 for the elasticity score between the two performers. Between the three observers, the overall interobserver and intraobserver kappa value was 0.365 and 0.655, respectively. There was no significant difference of the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (Az) value for the elasticity score between performer 1 and 2 (P = 0.143). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggested moderate interobserver reproducibility in breast strain elasticity image acquisition, poor interobserver and good intraobserver agreement in image interpretation.

Blood flow resistance in lesion vessels and normal host vessels evaluated by pulsed Doppler ultrasound

Blood flow rate in the microcirculation is proportional to the arteriole-venule pressure difference and inversely proportional to the blood flow resistance (BFR). Generally, the BFR studies to date have focused on using invasive methods and were carried out in non-physiological conditions. Moreover, few studies have been concerned with the relationships of BFR between the tumor vessels and the normal host vessels. The present study investigated the BFR in malignant lesion vessels, benign lesion vessels and normal host vessels in physiological conditions using pulsed Doppler ultrasound as a tool and the thyroid as a model, A total of 133 patients with thyroid nodules were included in the study. The results revealed that most of the BFR parameters were higher in malignant lesion vessels than in benign lesion vessels (P=0.001-0.029), as well as lower in normal host vessels than in malignant or benign lesion vessels (P=0.000-0.017); Low to moderate significant positive correlations of BFR between benign lesion vessels and normal host vessels were also found (r=0.358-0.480, P=0.000 for all). Finally and interestingly, low negative correlations between the malignant nodule sizes and some of the BFR parameters were revealed, though these correlations were not statistically significant (r=-0.205--0.261, P=0.108-0.211). Our results suggested that pulsed Doppler ultrasound could be successfully used to measure BFR in physiological conditions and to reveal the BFR relationship between lesion vessels and normal host vessels, as well as the relationship between the lesion sizes and the BFR.