Clinical Application of Real-Time Sonoelastography for Evaluation of Medial Epicondylitis: A Pilot Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic potential of real-time sonoelastography (RSE) in medial epicondylitis by comparing clinically diagnosed patients and patients without medial elbow pain. From July 2016 to December 2017, gray-scale sonographic findings (swelling, cortical irregularity, hypo-echogenicity, calcification and tear), color Doppler findings (hyperemia) and sonoelastographic findings (elastographic grade on a 3-point visual scale and strain ratio from two regions of interest) for 63 elbows of 56 patients were compared. Twenty-four patients with 29 imaged elbows were clinically diagnosed with medial epicondylitis, and 32 patients with 34 imaged elbows had no medial elbow pain. Cortical irregularity, hypo-echogenicity, calcification, elastographic grade and strain ratio revealed significant differences (p < 0.05). Among these, strain ratio had the highest diagnostic performance (area under the curve: 0.985). Real-time sonoelastography, which can obtain both elastographic grade and strain ratio, is valuable as a supplementary tool in the diagnosis of medial epicondylitis.     

Can the unnecessary operations for suspected thyroid nodules be avoided by the combined use of the strain ratio and elastography score?

IntroductionOnly 5%–15% of thyroid surgical specimens are reported as malignant. Most of the operations are performed due to suspicion of malignancy as a result of fine needle aspiration biopsy but invasiveness, non-diagnostic results and potential repeat biopsies are disadvantages of fine needle aspiration biopsy.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of simultaneously using both the strain ratio and elasticity score in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules, as well as to assess the compatibility of these two methods.MethodsA total of 144 nodules were included in the study. The final histopathologic diagnosis was used as the reference standard. The area under the curve sensitivity, specificity, and cut-off values of the strain ratio and elasticity score were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The compatibility and comparison of strain ratio and elasticity score were also performed.ResultsTwenty eight nodules (19.4%) were malignant. The strain ratio and elasticity score results were found to be significantly successful in predicting thyroid malignancy (p < 0.001 for both). Moreover, the area under the curve for the strain ratio and elasticity score were found to be 0.944 and 0.960, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of the elasticity score was found to be superior to that of the strain ratio, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.456). When the compatibility of the strain ratio and elasticity score was examined, the two evaluations were revealed to be statistically consistent with each other (Kappa = 0.767; p < 0.001). When the strain ratio and the elasticity score were used together, the specificity of capturing the correct diagnosis increased from 84.5% to 93.1%.ConclusionWhen the strain ratio an elasticity score were used together for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules, more accurate results were obtained. Thus, combining both methods may be a promising alternative to fine needle aspiration biopsy in order to prevent unnecessary surgical interventions for suspected thyroid nodules.     

Acoustic radiation force impulse with shear wave speed quantification of pancreatic masses: A prospective study

BackgroundAcoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) is a new ultrasound technique that evaluates mechanical properties of tissues. To evaluate the use of ARFI with shear waves speed quantification for pancreatic masses characterization during the ultrasound examination.Methods123 pancreatic lesions were prospectively evaluated. Median shear waves speeds were compared with Mann–Whitney U test. Two reading methods were applied for the characterization of adenocarcinoma: more than one measurement above the top shear waves speed (SWS) value. Two reading methods were applied to diagnose mucinous lesion: at least 2 (method 1) or 3 (method 2) numerical measurements. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of each reading method were calculated. Forty volunteers were included for normal ARFI values.ResultsIn the adenocarcinoma group median SWS value was 2.74 m/s. In the volunteers group the median SWS value was 1.17 m/s. Significant difference between SWS median values of adenocarcinoma and normal pancreas was found (P < 0.05). For the diagnosis of pancreatic solid masses if more than one measurement is above the top SWS value of 4.00 m/s results in the study, the diagnosis of ductal adenocarcinoma is highly specific with specificity and PPV of 100%. Good sensitivity (73.3%) and specificity (83.3%) were obtained for the characterization of mucinous cystic lesions.ConclusionsAcoustic Radiation Force Impulse imaging could help in the non-invasive characterization of solid and cystic lesions of the pancreas during a conventional US examination.     

超声鉴别诊断子宫肌瘤和子宫腺肌瘤研究进展

子宫肌瘤和子宫腺肌瘤均为女性常见的良性疾病,对二者正确的鉴别诊断对治疗方案的建立以及手术方式的选择具有重要意义。本文就各种超声检查技术在子宫肌瘤和子宫腺肌瘤的鉴别诊断中的研究进展进行综述。     

Ankle syndesmosis biomechanical evaluation by shear-waves elastography in healthy young adults: Assessment of the reliability and accuracy of the measurements and definition of a corridor of normality

BackgroundAims of this study were: 1/ to evaluate the shear wave speed (SWS) properties of the anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) and the distal interosseous membrane (DIOM) in neutral, dorsal flexion and plantar flexion positions in a cohort of healthy adult volunteers; 2/ to assess the reliability and reproducibility of these measurements.MethodsBoth ankles were analyzed by shear wave elastography (SWE) in 20 healthy patients (10 females/10 males) standing on a hinge support with their ankles in neutral, 20° dorsal flexion and 30° plantar flexion positions. Stiffness of AITFL and DIOM was evaluated by SWS measurement.ResultsThe SWS of AITFL and DIOM were minimal in the plantar flexion position (4.28 m/s [2.65–5.11] and 3.35 m/s [1.69–4.55], respectively). It increased significantly for both ligaments in neutral position (4.69 m/s [3.53–5.71] and 3.81 m/s [1.91–4.74], respectively; p < 0.0001), and reached their maximum values in dorsal flexion (6.58 m/s [5.23–8.34] and 4.79 m/s [3.07–6.19], respectively; p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between each ligament regardless the positions. SWS of AITFL was independent of demographic characteristics analyzed. SWS of DIOM was negatively correlated with height in dorsal flexion (ρ = ?0.35; p = 0.03) and in plantar flexion (ρ = ?0.37; p = 0.02). Female gender was associated with increased DIOM SWS in neutral (p = 0.005), dorsal flexion (p = 0.003), and plantar flexion (p = 0.001) positions. Moreover, foot morphology (foot arch, hind foot frontal deviation) did not impact AITFL nor DIOM SWS. Inter- and intra-observer measurements were all good or excellent.ConclusionThe AITFL and DIOM, stabilizers of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis, increase in stiffness while dorsal flexion increases. This study describes a reliable and reproducible protocol to assess their stiffness by SWE, and defines a corridor of normality.     

Propagation velocity and attenuation of a shear wave pulse measured by ultrasound detection in agarose and polyacrylamide gels

The aim of our research was to measure and analyze phase velocity and pulse attenuation of a shear wave in two media: well-known agarose-gelatin gel and seldom-used polyacrylamide gel. These quantities were determined at three temperatures by the method of transmission sonoelastography described by Catheline et al. (1999). The shear wave was generated with a shaker stimulated by an electric pulse, with a length of one sinusoidal period with a preset frequency. The calculation method is based on a cross-correlation algorithm used for consecutive A-scans of signals of backwards scattered ultrasonic pulses. It allows determination of the local displacement of scattering elements in the medium, caused by a propagating shear wave, and determination of viscoelastic properties of gels. The results of the measurements of shear wave phase velocity and attenuation, obtained for agarose-gelatin and polyacrylamide gels that simulate biological systems depending on frequency and amplitude of vibrations, are presented. The comparison of the measured characteristic properties of gels has revealed that polyacrylamide gel is more useful in viscoelastic investigations of tissue-like phantoms.     

A new method for the acquisition of ultrasonic strain image volumes

This article presents a new method for acquiring three-dimensional (3-D) volumes of ultrasonic axial strain data. The method uses a mechanically-swept probe to sweep out a single volume while applying a continuously varying axial compression. Acquisition of a volume takes 15-20 s. A strain volume is then calculated by comparing frame pairs throughout the sequence. The method uses strain quality estimates to automatically pick out high quality frame pairs, and so does not require careful control of the axial compression. In a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we quantify the image quality of the new method and also assess its ease of use. Results are compared with those for the current best alternative, which calculates strain between two complete volumes. The volume pair approach can produce high quality data, but skillful scanning is required to acquire two volumes with appropriate relative strain. In the new method, the automatic quality-weighted selection of image pairs overcomes this difficulty and the method produces superior quality images with a relatively relaxed scanning technique. (E-mail: rjh80@eng.cam.ac.uk)