The feasibility of the contrast enhanced ultrasound examination in thyroid tumors

Timofeeva L.A., Aleksandrov Yu.K., Tukhbatullin M.G., Aleshina T.N., Sencha Е.А.

 

Purpose. To justify the use of ultrasound examination with contrast media in thyroid tumors.

Materials and methods. Ultrasound examination findings using contrast media and those of immunohistochemical examination of thyroid tumors having different morphological structure were compared. 30 patients (51.3 ± 6.2 years of age) were examined. The study was conducted on the ultrasound device DC-8 (Mindray, China) using an ultrasound contrast agent "SonoVue" (SonoVue, Italy). Immunohistochemical examination was carried out using primary monoclonal antibodies (MKAT) to CD31, VEGF and vimentin produced by DAKO Company (Denmark).  Morphological studies were conducted usingthe microscope DM-20 (Optika Microscopes, Italy) with the help of Optimas program (ver. 2.0). The resulting images were evaluated by severity of positively expressed cells.

Results and discussion. Comparing findings of standard ultrasound examination (energy and color Doppler mapping) and ultrasound examination showed that the expressiveness of the vascular component in thyroid tumors was low and its evaluation did not guarantee differential diagnosis success. There was no direct correlation between the parameters of vascularization in Doppler mode, the presence of vascular structures and the tumor’s morphological form.

A comparative analysis of ultrasound examination findings and expression of CD31 and VEGF in different thyroid tumors showed that the highest indices of expression were characteristic for malignant thyroid tumors; they were lower in thyroid adenoma. Indices of CD31 and VEGF expression correlated with a number of ultrasound examination indicators. This fact gives new opportunities for the use of ultrasound examination as an objective method based on quantitative parameters in the differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors.

Conclusion. Ultrasound examination using contrast media is a positive option, which gives additional opportunities in the differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors. Features of the vascular bed in thyroid tumors associated with the activity of factors influencing vascular structures formation in the thyroid tissue and tumors are correlated with a number of indicators obtained by sonography using contrast media.

1 - I.N. Ulianov Chuvash State University. Cheboksary, Russia.

2 - Republican clinical oncological dispensary. Cheboksary, Russia.

3 -Kazan State Medical Academy. Kazan, Russia.

4 - Yaroslavl state medical University. Yaroslavl, Russia.

5 - 9th Medical and Diagnostic Center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Moscow, Russia.

 

Keywords: the thyroid gland, ultrasound examination using contrast media, immunohistochemical examination, CD31, vimentin, VEGF.

 


Corresponding author:  Timofeeva L.A., e-mail: Этот e-mail адрес защищен от спам-ботов, для его просмотра у Вас должен быть включен Javascript

 

For citation: Timofeeva L.A., Aleksandrov Yu.K., Tukhbatullin M.G., Aleshina T.N., Sencha Е.А. The feasibility of the contrast enhanced ultrasound examination in thyroid tumors. REJR 2021; 11(2):115-121. DOI: 10.21569/2222-7415-2021-11-2-115-121.

.

Received:       06.04.21 Accepted:     12.05.21