Advantages and disadvantages of 3D ultrasound of thyroid nodules including thin slice volume rendering

Table 2 Features of benign thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer in 3D gray-scale ultrasound [echogenicity, borders, calcification/microcalcification-like echogenic foci (CAL), shape in c-plane (parallel to ultrasound probe)] in multiplanar reformation mode (MPR) and by thin-slice rendering with surface algorithm (Surf).

		BENIGN *Observer 1*	BENIGN *Observer 2*	CANCER *Observer 1*	CANCER *Observer 2*
ECHOGENICITY:
Hypoechoic	MPR	20	22	12	11
	Surf	20	21	11	12
Mixed	MPR	17	17	4	5
	Surf	22	20	5	4
Isoechoic	MPR	17	15
	Surf	12	13
Hyperechoic	MPR	1	1
	Surf	1	1
BORDERS:
Ill-defined	MPR	8	10	10	11
	Surf	5	10	8	9
Well-defined	MPR	47	45	6	5
	Surf	50	45	8	7
CALCIFICATION/MICROCALCIFICATION-LIKE ECHOGENIC FOCI
Present	MPR	31	34	14	13
	Surf	43	41	15	14
Absent	MPR	24	21	2	3
	Surf	12	14	1	2
SHAPE IN C-PLANE
Lobulated	Surf	23	29	16	15
Oval	Surf	32	26	0	1

ISSN: 1756-6614