Extracting principal components from ultrasound indicators in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions and ranking valuable indicators

Objective To extract principal components from valuable indicators on conventional ultrasoundand contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions and to discuss the diagnostic value of each indicator.Methods One hundred and three patients with 125 thyroid lesions (65 malignant lesions and 60 benign lesions) underwent preoperative grayscale ultrasound (GSUS),color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) and CEUS examinations.Eighteen indicators were chosen to evaluate every lesion and principal components were extracted by principal component and valuable indicators were ordered by importance.Results There were significant differences on GSUS and CEUS indicators between benign and malignant lesions.The first principal component was the representation of contrast enhanced ultrasound and was valuable in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions.The rank of valuable CEUS indicators were homogeneity of enhancement,filling defect,relative arrival time of periphery,peak interior echogenicity,relative arrival time of interior,peak peripheral echogenicity and ring enhancement.Conclusions GSUS and CEUS are valuable in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions. Key words: Ultrasonography ;  Microbubbles ;  Thyroid disease ;  Diagnosis, differential