Ultrasonographic Multimodality Diagnostic Model of Thyroid Nodules

The aim of this study was to identify independent risk factors for thyroid cancer, establish an ultrasonographic multimodality diagnostic model for thyroid nodules, and explore the diagnostic value of the model. From November 2011 to February 2015, 307 patients with a total of 367 thyroid nodules underwent conventional ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and ultrasound elastography examinations before surgery. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for thyroid cancer and to establish a multimodality diagnostic model for thyroid nodules. The diagnostic performance of conventional ultrasound, CEUS, ultrasound elastography, and the multimodality diagnostic model was assessed and compared. The following seven independent risk factors were included in the logistic regression models: age, irregular shape, hypoechoic pattern, marked hypoechoic pattern, irregular blood flow distribution, heterogeneous enhancement, and an elastic score of 3/4. The mult...