Background : Percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) has been widely used in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), but there is still no consensus on when to perform PCD. This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of PCD in the treatment of SAP with acute accumulation and assessed the impact of the choice of PCD timing on the outcome and complications of patients with SAP. Methods : A total of 99 patients diagnosed with SAP accompanied with acute accumulation from 2017.04 to 2022.04 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were included and divided into PCD group (50 cases) and conservative treatment group (49 cases) according to whether they received PCD treatment. The basic information, length of hospital stay, recovery time of laboratory indicators, occurrence of complications, and clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups. The PCD group was further divided into the early PCD group (<2 weeks, 37 cases) and the late PCD group (>2 weeks, 13 cases) according to the time of PCD, and the information mentioned above of the two groups were compared. Results : Compared with the conservative treatment group, the PCD group had significantly shorter recovery time of blood amylase, duration of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (P<0.05), significantly lower incidence rates of complications and mortality (P<0.05). The early PCD group had significantly shorter length of hospital stay and significantly lower incidence of complications than the late PCD group (P < 0.05). Conclusion : PCD is safe and effective in the treatment of SAP and can improve the prognosis of patients. Early PCD is more likely to shorten patients' hospital stay and reduce complications.
We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical and ultrasound data from 112 lymphoma patients who underwent ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein catheterization to investigate the risk factors for venous thrombosis. The procedure, which is safe and convenient for long-term chemotherapy, can be compromised by the development of venous thrombosis, impacting patient quality of life. Patients were divided into two groups: those with thrombosis (thrombus group) and those without (no thrombus group), based on preoperative vascular ultrasound findings within the internal jugular vein. In the multiple logistic regression analysis models, the catheter diameter (OR=0.145, 95%CI: 0.032-0.660, P<0.05), FIB (OR=2.438, 95%CI: 1.306-4.552, P<0.05), and diabetes (OR=0.139, 95%CI: 0.026-0.754, P<0.05) were found to have independent associations with thrombosis in lymphoma patients who underwent ultrasound-guided internal jugular vein catheterization (all P<0.05). The area under the curve was 0.816, indicating good predictive accuracy of the nomogram model for assessing the risk of thrombosis.
Background:Hepatic acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). We hypothesized that contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) could serve as a new imaging biomarker in early diagnosis of hepatic aGVHD by detecting liver microcirculation.Methods:Thirty Wistar rats received allo-HSCT were finally included after excluding 9 rats, and they were randomly divided into 5 groups (1- to 5-week groups, 6 per group). Six rats were used for the control group without any intervention. We observed the clinical scores, serum liver enzyme levels and liver CEUS parameters of rats in each group. Hepatic aGVHD was finally confirmed by histopathologic analysis. The diagnostic performance of CEUS parameters in detecting GVHD was evaluated by comparing the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) values.Results:After HSCT, the rats developed ruffling of fur, maculopapular rash, weight loss, accompanied by increased clinical scores. Serum liver enzymes were significantly higher than those in the control group from the third week, especially alkaline phosphatase, while CEUS parameters, peak intensity (PI) and mean transit time (MTT), changed in the second week (P<0.001). Compared with non-aGVHD group, the PI was significantly decreased while time to peak and MTT were prolonged in aGVHD group. CEUS parameters were more strongly correlated with pathological grade than serology. PI was an independent predictor for hepatic aGVHD. The AUC of CEUS parameters for diagnosing hepatic aGVHD was 0.933 (95% CI: 0.779-0.992), which was higher than that of clinical scores (AUC =0.748, 95% CI: 0.557-0.888, P=0.032) and serological markers (AUC =0.902, 95% CI: 0.737-0.980, P=0.694).Conclusions:CEUS exhibits promising applications as a quantitative method to detect hepatic aGVHD and early liver damage.
Objective:To compare the clinical diagnostic value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for benign and malignant liver lesions in children.Methods:The imaging data of children with benign and malignant liver tumors admitted to the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between July 2019 and February 2023, who underwent both CEUS and CECT, were retrospectively analyzed. Using pathological and clinical diagnoses as the gold standard, we analyzed the imaging findings of cases where CEUS and CECT had misdiagnosed the condition. We then compared the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the two imaging modalities in diagnosing benign and malignant liver lesions.Results:A total of 55 children were included in this study. CEUS had a misdiagnosis rate of 1.82% (1/55), with one case of hemangioma being misdiagnosed, and a diagnostic compliance rate of 98.18% (54/55). CECT, on the other hand, had a misdiagnosis rate of 9.09% (5/55), including two cases of hepatoblastoma, two cases of hemangioma, and one case of focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver, and a diagnostic compliance rate of 90.91% (50/55). The sensitivity of CEUS for diagnosing benign and malignant focal liver lesions in children was 100.00%, with a specificity of 95.00% and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 98.18%. CECT demonstrated a diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 94.29%, 90.00%, and 90.91%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the diagnostic performance between the two methods (P>0.05).Conclusion:CEUS is valuable in distinguishing between benign and malignant liver tumors in children and demonstrates a diagnostic performance comparable to that of CECT.
Objective:To investigate the characteristics of lumen structure and intracranial and extracranial hemodynamic parameters in patients with internal carotid artery occlusion (ICAO) in acute and chronic stages by combining carotid Doppler ultrasound (CDU) and transcranial color Doppler (TCCD).Methods:Patients admitted to the Department of Neurology or Neurosurgery of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University due to ICAO-related cerebral infarction from September 2017 to October 2021 were retrospectively and consecutively enrolled. According to the course of disease, the ICAO patients were divided into acute (≤4 weeks) and chronic (>4 weeks) groups. CDU and TCCD were used to detect the carotid lumen structure and intracranial and external arterial blood flow parameters in ICAO patients. The characteristic parameters were compared between the acute stage group and chronic stage group. The risk factors related to the acute course of ICAO were identified by univariate and Logistic regression analyses.Results:A total of 386 ICAO-related cerebral infarction patients were included, including 165 in the acute stage group and 221 in the chronic stage group. The proportion of women in the acute stage group was 13.3%, higher than that of the chronic phase group (6.8%, P=0.031). The incidence of coronary heart disease in the acute stage group was 26.1%, which was higher than that of the chronic stage group (16.3%, P=0.019). The proportion of hypoechoic plaques in the acute phase group was higher than that of the chronic stage group (73.3% vs 58.4%, P=0.002). The mean pulsatility index of the middle cerebral artery in the acute stage group was 0.61±0.12, which was lower than that of the chronic phase group (0.63±0.14, P=0.037). Logistic multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that female gender (odds ratio [OR]: 2.124, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.042-4.331, P=0.038), history of coronary heart disease (OR: 2.063, 95%CI: 1.227-3.470, P=0.006), mainly hypoechoic plaques (OR: 2.093, 95%CI: 1.332-3.291, P=0.001), and low pulsatility index of the affected middle cerebral artery (OR: 0.183, 95%CI: 0.036-0.930, P=0.041) were independent risk factors for the acute course of ICAO patients.Conclusions:The characteristics of lumen structure and intracranial hemodynamics are different between patients with acute and chronic ICAO. CDU combined with TCCD can evaluate the characteristics of patients' lesions and help clinicians make treatment decisions.
Objective:To assess the value of preoperative percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the diagnosis of axillary sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in breast cancer and the value of enhancement mode in diagnosing axillary lymph node burden.Methods:Seventy-five breast cancer patients at the Breast Surgery Department of Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital were enrolled from July 2020 to December 2021. Preoperative percutaneous CEUS was used to identify SLNs and record their enhancement pattern (divided into type Ⅰ uniform enhancement, type Ⅱ non-uniform enhancement, and type Ⅲ no enhancement). Pathological diagnosis was used as the gold standard. The value of enhancement pattern analysis in diagnosing axillary SLN metastasis and burden was then assessed by fourfold table.Results:The detection rate of CEUS for SLN in 75 breast cancer patients was 97.3% (73/75), and a total of 88 SLNs were detected. Among them, there are 40 type Ⅰlymph nodes, 42 type Ⅱ lymph nodes, and 6 type Ⅲ lymph nodes. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of CEUS enhancement patterns in predicting SLN metastasis were 100%, 62.5%, 50%, 100%, and 72.7%, respectively. Twenty-four of 71 patients with stage T1/T2 breast cancer had sentinel lymph node metastasis, of whom 6 had high lymph node load and 18 had low lymph node load. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the enhancement patterns of CEUS in diagnosing SLN burden status were 100%, 56.9%, 60.6%, 17.6%, and 100%, respectively.Conclusion:Percutaneous CEUS is effective in identifying axillary SLNs, and CEUS enhancement patterns can help predict axillary SLN metastasis and burden.
Objective:To compare the efficacy of either the 2017 American Society of Radiology thyroid imaging report and data system (ACR-TIRADS) or the Chinese ultrasound thyroid imaging report and data system (C-TIRADS) combined with two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) imaging technology in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods:Cases with thyroid nodules who underwent fine needle aspiration or surgery at four hospitals in Anhui province (the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, and the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University) from February 2021 to January 2022 were collected and classified by trained senior sonographers based on the ACR-TIRADS (2017) and C-TIRADS, respectively. A total of 502 thyroid nodules with the data of conventional ultrasound and 2D-SWE were retrospectively analyzed. Using the fine needle aspiration or surgical pathological results as the gold standard, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic efficacy of ACR-TIRADS, C-TIRADS, 2D-SWE technology, ACR-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE, and C-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE in thyroid nodules. The consistency of the two combined diagnostic methods was assessed by Kappa test.Results:The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ACR-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE and C-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE (set cut-off value: C-TR4C) was 0.852 and 0.875, respectively, for the diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules, with a corresponding sensitivity of 86.00% and 91.70%, specificity of 79.90% and 67.40%, and accuracy of 83.27% and 80.79%; the diagnostic efficacy of these two combinations was significantly better than that of ACR-TIRADS, C-TIRADS, or 2D-SWE technology alone (P＜0.05). The AUC of C-TIRADS was higher than that of ACR-TIRADS (Z=2.090, P=0.037). The Kappa value of ACR-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE and C-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE was 0.801 (P＜0.001).Conclusion:Either ACR-TIRADS or C-TIRADS combined with 2D-SWE technology can considerably improve the diagnostic efficacy for malignant thyroid nodules, with the latter having better diagnostic efficacy.
Objective:To explore the feasibility and stiffness measurement values of shear wave elastography (SWE) at different sites of the pancreas in healthy adults, and to analyze the factors influencing them.Methods:In July 2021, a total of 47 healthy adults recruited through the Internet underwent pancreatic SWE, and the characteristics including sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and the sites and depth of examination were collected. The factors influencing the success rate were analyzed by logistic regression, and the factors influencing measurement values of pancreatic elastography were explored by analysis of variance and linear regression.Results:The success rate of pancreatic elastography was related to the measurement site [P=0.011, odds ratio (OR)=0.50], with the highest success rate achieved in the body of the pancreas (93.6%), followed by the head of the pancreas (74.5%), and the lowest in the tail of the pancreas (48.9%). The elasticity measurements had no significant differences in different parts of the pancreas [(10.00±2.06) kPa vs (8.77±2.02) kPa vs (9.90±2.32) kPa, F=2.33, P=0.105). The depth of the sampling box had an independent influence on the elasticity measurements of the pancreatic body [regression coefficient (r)=2.16, P＜0.001], and the deeper the depth of the sampling box, the higher the elasticity measurements.Conclusion:The feasibility of pancreatic SWE examination in healthy adults is influenced by the sites of examination, and the elasticity measurement values in the pancreatic body are related to the depth of the sampling box.
Objective:To compare the prenatal ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of Joubert syndrome (JS) to enrich the knowledge on JS and improve its diagnosis.Methods:The prenatal US and MRI characteristics of 14 cases of JS at Guangdong Women and Children Hospital from January 2014 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among the 14 cases of JS fetuses, systematic US examination and MRI examination were performed 17 times and 16 times, respectively. A total of 8 cases (57%, 8/14) were diagnosed with JS by both US and MRI, while 6 cases (43%, 6/14) had inconsistent diagnosis results. Among all the 17 ultrasound and 16 MRI examinations, US suggested a diagnosis of JS 7 times (41%, 7/17) and a suspicious diagnosis of JS 4 times (23%, 4/17) while MRI suggested a diagnosis of JS 13 times (81%, 13/16). Regarding the image characteristics of US and MRI, consistent typical molar tooth sign was suggested in 7 cases (50%, 7/14), while inconsistent results were suggested in 7 cases (50%, 7/14); consistent little or no cerebellar vermis was suggested in 10 cases (71%, 10/14), while inconsistent results were suggested in 4 cases (29%, 4/14); consistent aspect ratio of the fourth ventricle >1 was suggested in 12 cases (86%, 12/14), while inconsistent results were suggested in 2 cases (14%, 2/14); consistent closely adjacent cerebellar hemispheres were suggested in 8 cases (57%, 8/14), consistent distinctly separated cerebellar hemispheres were suggested in 2 cases (14%, 2/14), and inconsistent results were suggested in 4 cases (29%, 2/14). Among the 17 ultrasound and 16 MRI examinations, the sign of "midline fissure" was showed 3 times (18%, 3/17) and 13 times (81%, 13/16) by ultrasound and MRI, respectively. Hyperechoic region of the cerebellar hemisphere was shown by US in 12 cases (86%, 12/14), while hyperechoic region was misdiagnosed as vermis in 2 cases (17%, 2/12).Conclusion:Accurate recognition of the prenatal imaging characteristics and pitfalls of JS is helpful to improve the prenatal detection rate of JS.
Objective:To investigate the treatment and prevention of biliary tract injury following absolute ethanol sclerotherapy for large liver cysts.Methods:From January 2009 to December 2020, 30 patients with large liver cysts (with a maximum cross-sectional length ≥10 cm) treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous absolute ethanol sclerotherapy at Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University were included in this study, including one patient with polycystic liver disease. Absolute ethanol was used for the sclerotherapy of liver cysts via needle aspiration or catheter drainage. In patients treated with catheter drainage and sclerotherapy, the amount and color of cyst drainage fluid and the extubation time were recorded after treatment. The main complications and long-term efficacy of sclerotherapy for large liver cysts were analyzed.Results:Thirty patients with 30 large liver cysts were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous absolute ethanol sclerotherapy, of whom 3 patients underwent needle aspiration and sclerotherapy and 27 underwent catheter drainage and sclerotherapy. The maximum cross-sectional length of the 30 cysts was 10-18 cm, a total of 400 ml to 2500 ml of light yellow or clear fluid was extracted from each cyst, and 200ml to 300 ml of absolute ethanol was injected into each cyst cavity during one session of sclerotherapy, which was divided into 4-6 injections. Among 27 patients treated with catheter drainage and sclerotherapy, the indwelling time of the drainage tube was 3-5 days in 26 patients and 10 days in 1 patient. Two patients (6.7%) had excessive intracapsular hemorrhage during treatment, and the bleeding stopped spontaneously due to compression of the drainage tubes. Three patients (10.0%) developed biliary tract injury after sclerotherapy, who were treated with catheter drainage and the catheters were removed until bile leakage stopped; the extubation time was 3 days, 2 weeks and 3 months, respectively, and the three patients' cysts were completely or mostly absorbed without recurrence. Of the 30 patients included, 29 received one session of sclerotherapy and 1 received two sessions of sclerotherapy. With a median follow-up period of 15 (range 13-64) months in 30 patients, the total effective rate was 100% (30/30), and the cure and significant effective rate was 76.7% (23/30).Conclusion:There is an increased risk of biliary tract injury following absolute ethanol sclerotherapy for large liver cysts adjacent to primary or secondary bile ducts. Catheter drainage with sclerotherapy is helpful to prevent and detect early biliary tract injury. Bile containing cyst and biliary tract injury following sclerotherapy are likely to be cured by catheter drainage, which should be given sufficient observation time.
Objective:To quantitatively evaluate synovial neovascularization in rheumatoid arthritis by high-frequency contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) microbubbles.Methods:RGD microbubbles were prepared and their general characteristics (particle size, potential, and microbubble concentration) were detected. A total of 25 rats were randomly divided into a model group (n=20) and a control group (n=5). A rat model of rheumatoid arthritis was created using collagen-induced method. Rats in the control group were injected with the same dose of normal saline. The imaging of RGD microbubbles and naked microbubbles in the synovial tissue of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats was detected by ultrasound contrast-enhanced technology, and a comparison of contrast intensity difference between RGD microbubble and naked microbubble before and after blasting in target tissue was performed by the independent sample t test. Finally, rat ankle joints were taken for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical staining for αvβ3, CD31, and VEGF to confirm CIA rat ankle joint synovial thickening and angiogenesis.Results:Compared with naked microbubbles, the particle size of the prepared RGD microbubbles was [(0.82±0.25) μm vs (0.80±0.19) μm], and the potential was [(-1.63±3.52) mV vs (-1.65±3.51) mV], with no significant difference between the two (P＞0.05 for both). Microbubble concentration was all 108/ml. A CIA rat model was successfully established, and the rate of successful modeling was up to 70% (14/20). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed that the contrast intensity difference between before and after ankle joint explosion in CIA rats in the RGD microbubble group was significantly higher than that of the naked microbubble group [(5.81±1.50) dB vs (0.40±0.06) dB, t=8.032, P=0.001]. Histopathology showed that the synovium of CIA rats was significantly thickened and αvβ3, CD31, and VEGF were highly expressed compared with control rats.Conclusion:Contrast-enhanced ultrasound demonstrates that RGD microbubbles have good targeting ability to neovascularization in the ankle synovial tissue of CIA rats, and it can realize the quantitative evaluation of synovial neovascularization.
Objective:To assess the clinical value of double-plane transrectal ultrasonography (DPTRUS) in the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic diseases.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with pelvic diseases treated at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from August 2022 to March 2023. The pelvic diseases were diagnosed by routine ultrasound (RUS), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and high-frequency ultrasound guided puncture biopsy or catheter drainage using a bi-planar transrectal probe (convex and linear array), including ultrasonic diagnosis and puncture biopsy of 173 cases of prostate disease, 4 cases of pararectal mass, and 1 case of cervical cancer, and ultrasonic diagnosis and catheter drainage of 1 case of encapsulated effusion in the uterine rectal fossa and 1 case of prostatic abscess. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of RUS and CEUS in DPTRUS for the diagnosis of prostate cancer and other pelvic diseases were calculated using pathological examination results or CT enhancement results as gold standard, and the paired chi-square test was used to determine the difference between RUS and CEUS in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.Results:The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of RUS and CEUS in DPTRUS in the diagnosis of prostate cancer were 79.2%, 66.3%, and 93.8%, and 75.0%, 54.1%, and 95.8%, and there was no significant difference between them (χ2=3.20, P=0.063). The accuracy of ultrasonic diagnosis for other pelvic diseases was 100%, and all cases successfully underwent perineal ultrasound intervention.Conclusion:DPTRUS can correctly diagnose pelvic diseases and perform puncture biopsy for pathological diagnosis and puncture drainage treatment under the guidance of high-frequency ultrasound, thus achieving simultaneous diagnosis and treatment.
Objective:To establish the reference ranges of fetal prenasal thickness (PT) and nasal bone length (NBL) based on a Chinese population and to assess their predictive value for trisomy 21, 18, and 13 in the second trimester of pregnancy.Methods:Pregnant women who underwent ultrasound during the second trimester were included in this study. The PT and NBL were measured retrospectively in 253 normal fetuses and in 55 fetuses with trisomy 21, 18, and 13.Results:The mean PT [PT=-4.959+0.565GA-0.01GA2 (R2=0.725, P＜0.001)] and NBL [NBL (mm)=-5.656+0.761GA-0.01GA2 (R2=0.891, P＜0.001)] both increased with the gestational age, while the PT/NBL ratio (R2=0.004, P=0.376) remained stable. For the fetuses with trisomy 21, 18, and 13, 26.3% (10/38), 36.4% (4/11), and 16.7% (1/6) had a PT below the 5th percentile, and 42.1% (16/38), 36.4% (4/11), and 33.3% (2/6) had a NBL below the 5th percentile. The detection rate increased remarkably when PT/NBL ratio were used as a new marker for trisomy 21 fetuses, but not for trisomy 18 and 13 fetuses [65.8% (25/38), 45.5% (5/11), and 16.6% (1/6), respectively].Conclusion:Fetal PT/NBL ratio could be used as an effective predictive maker for trisomy 21, 18, and 13.
Standardized resident training is a necessary stage for medical students, and it enables university students to transition from basic education to continuing education after graduation, which plays a connecting role in medical education. Due to ultrasound medicine's specialty, rapid technical development, and wide clinical coverage, it is difficult to perform standardized ultrasound training. Therefore, standardized guidelines are urgently needed to guide residential training teaching activities so that residents can master the independent capability in the daily work of ultrasound medicine. Based on the above reasons, the Chinese Medical Association released the guidelines for standardized training and teaching activities for residents (2021 version). In December 2021, the publication of the guidelines provides an important basis to standardize the teaching activities of ultrasonic residential training. The purpose of this paper is to explore the application effects of the guidelines for standardized training and teaching activities for residents with regard to residential training lectures, skill operation training, difficult case discussion, and teaching film reading in ultrasound teaching based on the guidelines through questionnaire, and to summarize the experience.
Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasound in isoechoic and hyperechoic thyroid nodules.Methods:A retrospectively analysis was performed on the ultrasonographic data of 128 cases of isoechoic and hyperechoic thyroid nodules confirmed by surgery and pathology at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from August 2019 to December 2020. Based on the pathological results as the gold standard, there were 94 cases of benign nodules and 34 cases of malignant nodules. The ultrasonic features of nodules, including echo, margin, growth mode, calcification, halo, echo texture, posterior echo, nodule-in-nodule architecture, cystic change, and blood flow, were evaluated. Independent sample t-test, χ2 test, or Fisher's exact test was used for statistical comparison of ultrasonic features between groups. The diagnostic efficacy of each parameter was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under curve (AUC).Results:In the benign and malignant groups, irregular margin of the nodule (38.2% vs 5.3%, P＜0.001), vertical growth (17.6% vs 2.1%, P=0.004), calcification (73.5% vs 17.0%, P＜0.001), uneven echo texture (94.1% vs 55.3%, χ2=16.53, P＜0.001), and a little blood flow (79.4% vs 57.4%, P=0.017) all suggested the risk of malignancy. There was no difference in the presence or absence of halo between the two groups (P＞0.05). In nodules with halo, inconsistent halo thickness (84.2% vs 8.2%, χ2=37.58, P＜0.001) suggested the risk of malignancy. The diagnostic sensitivity of uneven echo texture of nodules (94.12%) was the highest, and the diagnostic specificity of vertical growth (97.87%) was the highest. The AUC and diagnostic accuracy of inconsistent sound halo thickness were the highest (0.880 and 89.71%, respectively).Conclusion:Isoechoic and hyperechoic nodules with irregular edges, vertical growth, coarse calcification or microcalcification, inconsistent thickness of acoustic halo, uneven echo texture, and a little blood supply are helpful to the diagnosis of malignant nodules.
