Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Synchronous Triplanar Reconstruction Integrated with Color Doppler Mapping for Precise and Rapid Localization of Thyroid Lesions
Published on: February 9, 2024
Incidentally discovered thyroid nodules: incidence, and greyscale and colour Doppler pattern in an adult population
T V Bartolotta1, M Midiri, G Runza
1Sezione di Diagnostica per Immagini, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Legale, Policlinico Universitario, Via del Vespro 127, I-90127 Palermo, Italy. tv.bartolotta@unipa.it
Purpose:
Our aim was to assess the incidence and ultrasound features of thyroid nodules in an adult population screened by means of high-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) and to evaluate the contribution of real-time spatial compound sonography (CS) in terms of image quality.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 704 consecutive patients (400 women, 304 men) without thyroid disease underwent HRUS and CS examination of the thyroid gland. Number, size, location, echotexture and colour Doppler pattern of detected nodules were assessed. Two radiologists also assessed image quality of the two techniques.
Results:
Seven hundred and eleven thyroid nodules (size range 0.18-4.1 cm; mean: 1.1 cm) were detected in 233 subjects (33.1%). Of these, 416 (58.5%) were found in 143 women whereas 295 (41.5%) were detected in 90 men. In both genders, the number of detected nodules increased with age, with the highest prevalence in the seventh decade (p<0.001). There were 461/711 (64.9%) thyroid nodules that were hypoechoic, and 449/711 (63.1%) had peripheral vascularity only (p<0.001). Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) revealed no malignancies. CS was graded better than HRUS in 621/711 (87.3%) cases (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of benign, small, hypoechoic thyroid nodules with peripheral vascularity was high in our series, thus suggesting a conservative approach. CS provided better image quality compared with HRUS.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ultrasonography
During an ultrasonography procedure, a handheld device called a...
01:24Imaging Studies II: Ultrasonography
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:25Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy
Fundamental Principles of PET
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:13Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...