Using Acoustic Structure Quantification During B-Mode Sonography for Evaluation of Hashimoto Thyroiditis.

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Thyroidology
• Diagnostic sonography

Background:

• Hashimoto thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid gland.
• Accurate diagnosis relies on B-mode sonography, but quantitative methods can improve precision.
• Acoustic Structure Quantification (ASQ) offers a novel approach to analyze tissue echogenicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of Acoustic Structure Quantification (ASQ) values in identifying Hashimoto thyroiditis.
• To establish a specific ASQ cutoff value for differentiating Hashimoto thyroiditis from normal thyroid tissue.
• To assess the reliability of ASQ measurements between observers.

Main Methods:

• Sonography with ASQ imaging was performed on 186 thyroid lobes (103 with Hashimoto thyroiditis, 83 normal).
• Quantitative ASQ parameters (average, mode, ratio, standard deviation, blue mode, blue average) were analyzed.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined diagnostic performance; interobserver agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in ASQ values were observed between Hashimoto thyroiditis and normal thyroid glands (P < .001).
• ASQ values were consistently higher in glands with Hashimoto thyroiditis.
• The ASQ ratio cutoff of 0.27 demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance (sensitivity 87.38%, specificity 95.18%), with high areas under the ROC curves for various parameters (0.842–0.936). Interobserver agreement was substantial (0.86–0.94).

Conclusions:

• Acoustic Structure Quantification is a promising sonographic technique for diagnosing Hashimoto thyroiditis.
• ASQ provides a reliable method for quantifying thyroid echogenicity, aiding in diagnosis.
• The established ASQ ratio cutoff value enhances diagnostic accuracy for Hashimoto thyroiditis.