Sistematic review of thyroid elastography: assessment of its utility in thyroid nodule Characterization.

Abstract

The study provides a comprehensive systematic review of the utility of thyroid elastography in characterizing thyroid nodules, addressing the clinical need to distinguish between benign and malignant nodules to guide proper patient management. The importance of elastography as a complementary tool to conventional ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy is highlighted, providing objective information on thyroid tissue stiffness and improving diagnostic accuracy. Results reveal that elastography, especially shear wave elastography, shows promising advancements in stratifying the risk of malignancy in thyroid nodules, with superior capability compared to other assessment methods. The need to standardize the technique and establish reliable cutoff points to differentiate between benign and malignant nodules is emphasized. Furthermore, the importance of combining elastography with other risk stratification systems, such as TI-RADS, to enhance diagnostic accuracy is discussed. The utility of elastography in reducing unnecessary surgeries for benign thyroid nodules is underscored, as well as its capacity to aid in clinical decision-making in cases of indeterminate cytology. Although more studies are needed to strengthen the role of elastography in thyroid pathology diagnosis, the study highlights its potential impact on clinical practice, especially in reducing unnecessary invasive procedures and improving diagnostic accuracy, which could lead to better clinical outcomes and improved quality of life for patients.