A comparative analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging and ultrasound in thyroid nodules

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and ultrasound are commonly used methods to examine thyroid nodules, but their comparative value is rarely studied. We evaluated the utility of DWI and ultrasound in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

A total of 100 patients with 137 nodules who underwent both DWI and ultrasound before operation were enrolled. The T1 and T2 signal intensity ratio (SIR) of each thyroid nodule was calculated by measuring the mean signal intensity divided by that of paraspinal muscle. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and the SIR of benign and malignant thyroid nodules were analyzed by two-sample independent t tests. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of DWI and ultrasound were compared with chi-square tests.

There was no significant difference in the SIR between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The ADC value was significantly different. At the threshold value was 1.12 × 10^- 3 mm²/s, the maximum area under the curve was 0.944. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 84.9, 92.2, and 87.6% respectively. The corresponding values of ultrasound diagnosis were 90.1, 80.4, and 86.9%.

Ultrasound has high sensitivity in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and the ADC value has high specificity, but there is no statistical difference in sensitivity or specificity between the two modalities. DWI and ultrasound each have their own advantages in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules.