Strain US Elastography for the Characterization of Thyroid Nodules: Advantages and Limitation

• Main Authors: Vito Cantisani, Hektor Grazhdani, Elena Drakonaki, Vito D’Andrea, Mattia Di Segni, Erton Kaleshi, Fabrizio Calliada, Carlo Catalano, Adriano Redler, Luca Brunese, Francesco Maria Drudi, Angela Fumarola, Giovanni Carbotta, Fabrizio Frattaroli, Nicola Di Leo, Mauro Ciccariello, Marcello Caratozzolo, Ferdinando D’Ambrosio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2015-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Endocrinology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/908575
• ISSN: 1687-8337; 1687-8345

Thyroid nodules, with their high prevalence in the general population, represent a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Ultrasound (US), although absolutely reliable in detecting thyroid nodules, is still not accurate enough to differentiate them into benign and malignant. A promising novel modality, US elastography, has been introduced in order to further increase US accuracy. The purpose of this review article is to assess the thyroid application of US strain elastography, also known as real-time elastography or quasistatic elastography. We provide a presentation of the technique, and of up-to-date literature, analyzing the most prominent results reported for thyroid nodules differentiation. The practical advantages and limitations of strain elastography are extensively discussed herein.