Value of Combining Clinical Factors Conventional Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Features in Preoperative Prediction of Central Lymph Node Metastases of Different Sized Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas

摘要

Early and accurate preoperative diagnosis of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) is crucial to improve surgical management of patients with clinical lymph node-negative papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Towards improving diagnosis of CLNM, we assessed the value of combining preoperative clinical characteristics, conventional ultrasound, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in preoperative prediction of CLNM of different sized PTCs.