Initial Clinical Study Of Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification On Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

The First Part Establishment of a reference range of normal value of the shear-wave velocity in healthy thyroid of adultsResearch objective:This research aims to explore the feasibility of detecting Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) using Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) technique and to establish a reference range of shear-wave velocity in healthy thyroid of adults.Materials and methods:One hundred and twenty healthy volunteers from Physical Examination Center (60man/60women) underwent VTQ detection. All subjects were certain absent of a history of thyroid disease and had normal results by the examination of conventional ultrasound and laboratory research. They were divided into three groups according to age. Thyroid shear-wave velocities were measured by Siemens Acuson S2000with Virtual Touch Tissue Quatification probe (9L4) and software. Each subject received VTQ measurements in five parts including superficial and deep part of two lobes and isthmus. Each part were measured five times then took average. The procedure was executed twice by two researchers respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using version16.0SPSS. Results:1. The thyroid shear-wave velocities of the healthy group had a reference range--1.78±0.22m/s(95%CI). Different parts of measurement value of thyroid shear-wave speed had no statistical significance.2. There was no statistical difference of VTQ mean value in healthy thyroid of different age groups, while the mean value of thyroid shear-wave velocities in different gender had statistical significance with P=0.003.3. There was no statistical significance. of thyroid shear-wave value in healthy thyroid of different operators(with P=0.64).4. The ICC of measurement value of all parts of health thyroid were higher than0.70.Conclusions:1. The mean value of thyroid shear-wave velocities in thyroid different parts has no statistical significance in healthy thyroid of adults. The value in different gender has statistically significant. Male shear-wave velocity of thyroid is faster than female.2. VTQ technique has a good repeatability and stability. It is feasible to use this technique to diagnose HT.The Second Part Study in the correlativity between thyroid shear-wave velocities and thyroid functions in HTResearch objective:To explore the correlativity between thyroid shear-wave velocities and thyroid functions inHT.Materials and methods:One hundred patients who had HT in different pathological phases with enough clinical data were selected. They were divided into three groups according to thyroid functions. They were normal thyroid hormone level, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. They were divided into another three groups according to disease history. They were shorter than ten years, ten to twenty years and more than twenty years. All subjects receive VTQ detection. Thyroid shear-wave velocities were measured by Siemens Acuson S2000with Virtual Touch Tissue Qualification probe (9L4) and software. Each subject received VTQ measurements in five parts. Superficial and deep part of left lobe and right lobe then isthmus.Each part was measured five times then took average. Statistical analysis was performed using version16.0SPSS.Results1. The thyroid shear-wave velocities of the hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and normal level group were:(3.22±0.27)m/s,(3.27±0.66)m/s and (3.19±0.74)m/s. There were no statistically significant difference between these three groups (P=0.884). They were higher than normal people [(1.78±0.22) m/s].2. The thyroid shear-wave velocities of the short than ten years group, ten to twenty years group and more than twenty years group were (3.19±0.27)m/s、(3.37±0.53)m/、(3.48±0.42)m/s.Conclusions1. The thyroid shear-wave velocities of different thyroid functions in HT are not statistically significantly different.2. The thyroid shear-wave velocities of different pathogenesis have statistical significance.3. VTQ technique has a good effect on detection of the hardness of HT.