A large analysis of 54 studies looked at how well contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can tell the difference between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The test correctly identified cancerous nodules 78.6% of the time (sensitivity) and correctly ruled out cancer in benign nodules 82.6% of the time (specificity). Overall diagnostic accuracy was 81.6%.
The analysis also found that more experienced examiners tended to get better results, suggesting that operator skill matters. However, the researchers did not find any other factors that consistently affected the test's performance.
No safety information was reported in this analysis, so it's not clear if there are any risks associated with CEUS for this purpose. Also, because this is a meta-analysis of existing studies, the quality of the results depends on the original studies.
For now, CEUS appears to be a useful tool for evaluating thyroid nodules, but it should be used as part of a full evaluation. Talk to your doctor about the best approach for your situation.
