Homogeneity Parameter in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging Improves the Classification of Abnormal Cervical Lymph Node after Thyroidectomy in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Figure 1

Fifty-one-year-old PTC woman had received left thyroidectomy two years ago. ACLNs were detected on the right neck, located in level IV. (a) Loss of fatty hilum, hyperechogenicity, and oval in conventional US (17 × 10 mm). A peripheral (Type IV) vascular pattern was shown in CDFI. Compared with previously conventional sonographic figures, aberrant vessels were clearly shown in chronological order in CEUS figures. (b) Microbubbles rose at the nodal capsule (red arrows) in the beginning (11 s after SonoVue injection). (c) Then aberrant vessels developed from the nodal capsule to hilum (red arrows, 13 s after SonoVue injection). (d) LN showed hyperenhancement 18 s after SonoVue injection. And this ACLN was proved to be metastatic PTC by FNA.

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