Cannataro Giovanni
Azienda Ospedaliera SS. Annunziata
Italy
Title: Strain elastosonography of thyroid nodules: A new tool for malignancy prediction? Overview of literature
Biography
Biography: Cannataro Giovanni
Abstract
Strain elastosonography is a new non invasive technique that employs ultrasounds and manual compression in order to obtain information about tissues’ stiffness. It provides a colored map of tissues’ deformation, visualized in a split-screen mode with a conventional B-mode image and a colored elastosonogram on a screen. It could be used in addiction to conventional US signs in order to differentiate malignant from benignant thyroid nodules. In particular, the hardness of a tumor is considered an indicator of malignancy. In many studies malignant nodules are often associated with a greater elasticity/hardness scoring at elastosonography compared to benign nodules. Elastosonography could also be used as a guide for fine needle aspiration (FNA), which is the most important procedure for the management of thyroid nodules. Limiting conditions for elastosonography are calcified and cystic areas, which could be responsible respectively for false positive and negative results. In these cases, the conventional US plays an important role to define which nodules are suitable for the US elastosonography. Other limiting conditions are follicular carcinoma gross anatomy and cellular pattern that may resemble the elastosonographic pattern of benign follicular adenoma. The histological examination is often necessary to discover capsular or vascular invasion of follicular carcinomatous condition.