Novel Imaging Technique Could Help Characterize Thyroid Disorders
By MedImaging International staff writers Posted on 05 Nov 2019 |
Image: Abnormal thyroid gland with Hashimoto’s disease (L) and a normal gland (R) (Photo courtesy of 123rf.com).
A combination of multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) and ultrasound can be used for initial evaluation and differential diagnosis of thyroid disorders, according to a new study.
Researchers at University Hospital Münster (UKM; Germany), Munich Technical University (TUM; Germany; www.tum.de), and other institutions conducted a study to evaluate the viability of using hybrid MSOT/ultrasound to image thyroid disorders, such as Graves’ disease and thyroid nodules. Eighteen patients were included in the study: three with Graves' disease, three healthy volunteers, nine with benign thyroid nodules and three with malignant thyroid modules. Thyroid nodules and lobes were resected and imaged from all patients, who also underwent a routine clinical thyroid evaluation.
The MSOT images were reconstructed, and several functional biomarkers and tissue parameters were analyzed, including deoxygenated hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, total hemoglobin, saturation of hemoglobin, fat content and water content. Regions of interest were then drawn onto the ultrasound scans and transferred to the corresponding co-registered MSOT images, and statistical analyses were then performed to provide semi-quantitative tissue characterization and functional parameters.
The results revealed that hybrid MSOT/ultrasound imaging found significantly higher deoxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin, as well as significantly lower fat content, in Graves' diseases lobes, as compared with healthy controls. When comparing the thyroid nodules imaged with MSOT/ultrasound, malignant thyroid nodules showed significantly lower saturation of hemoglobin and lower fat content than benign nodules. The study was published in the October 2019 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
“Optoacoustic imaging is a new opportunity to employ optical imaging for deep tissue analyses with potential clinical applications in various benign and malignant diseases,” concluded lead author Wolfgang Roll, MD, of UKM, and colleagues. “Our study has shown that hybrid multispectral optoacoustic tomography and ultrasound can assess changes in tissue composition in thyroid disorders by providing semiquantitative functional parameters noninvasively.”
Currently, evaluation and risk stratification methods for thyroid disorders include hormone testing, high-resolution ultrasound, scintigraphy, and invasive procedures that include fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy and thyroidectomy. Non-invasive imaging with MSOT, which detects ultrasonic waves generated by the expansion of tissue illuminated with laser pulses, has already proven valuable in vascular imaging, inflammatory bowel diseases, and oncology.
Related Links:
University Hospital Münster
Munich Technical University
Researchers at University Hospital Münster (UKM; Germany), Munich Technical University (TUM; Germany; www.tum.de), and other institutions conducted a study to evaluate the viability of using hybrid MSOT/ultrasound to image thyroid disorders, such as Graves’ disease and thyroid nodules. Eighteen patients were included in the study: three with Graves' disease, three healthy volunteers, nine with benign thyroid nodules and three with malignant thyroid modules. Thyroid nodules and lobes were resected and imaged from all patients, who also underwent a routine clinical thyroid evaluation.
The MSOT images were reconstructed, and several functional biomarkers and tissue parameters were analyzed, including deoxygenated hemoglobin, oxygenated hemoglobin, total hemoglobin, saturation of hemoglobin, fat content and water content. Regions of interest were then drawn onto the ultrasound scans and transferred to the corresponding co-registered MSOT images, and statistical analyses were then performed to provide semi-quantitative tissue characterization and functional parameters.
The results revealed that hybrid MSOT/ultrasound imaging found significantly higher deoxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin, as well as significantly lower fat content, in Graves' diseases lobes, as compared with healthy controls. When comparing the thyroid nodules imaged with MSOT/ultrasound, malignant thyroid nodules showed significantly lower saturation of hemoglobin and lower fat content than benign nodules. The study was published in the October 2019 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
“Optoacoustic imaging is a new opportunity to employ optical imaging for deep tissue analyses with potential clinical applications in various benign and malignant diseases,” concluded lead author Wolfgang Roll, MD, of UKM, and colleagues. “Our study has shown that hybrid multispectral optoacoustic tomography and ultrasound can assess changes in tissue composition in thyroid disorders by providing semiquantitative functional parameters noninvasively.”
Currently, evaluation and risk stratification methods for thyroid disorders include hormone testing, high-resolution ultrasound, scintigraphy, and invasive procedures that include fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy and thyroidectomy. Non-invasive imaging with MSOT, which detects ultrasonic waves generated by the expansion of tissue illuminated with laser pulses, has already proven valuable in vascular imaging, inflammatory bowel diseases, and oncology.
Related Links:
University Hospital Münster
Munich Technical University
Latest General/Advanced Imaging News
- PET Scans Reveal Hidden Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
- Artificial Intelligence Evaluates Cardiovascular Risk from CT Scans
- New AI Method Captures Uncertainty in Medical Images
- CT Coronary Angiography Reduces Need for Invasive Tests to Diagnose Coronary Artery Disease
- Novel Blood Test Could Reduce Need for PET Imaging of Patients with Alzheimer’s
- CT-Based Deep Learning Algorithm Accurately Differentiates Benign From Malignant Vertebral Fractures
- Minimally Invasive Procedure Could Help Patients Avoid Thyroid Surgery
- Self-Driving Mobile C-Arm Reduces Imaging Time during Surgery
- AR Application Turns Medical Scans Into Holograms for Assistance in Surgical Planning
- Imaging Technology Provides Ground-Breaking New Approach for Diagnosing and Treating Bowel Cancer
- CT Coronary Calcium Scoring Predicts Heart Attacks and Strokes
- AI Model Detects 90% of Lymphatic Cancer Cases from PET and CT Images
- Breakthrough Technology Revolutionizes Breast Imaging
- State-Of-The-Art System Enhances Accuracy of Image-Guided Diagnostic and Interventional Procedures
- Catheter-Based Device with New Cardiovascular Imaging Approach Offers Unprecedented View of Dangerous Plaques
- AI Model Draws Maps to Accurately Identify Tumors and Diseases in Medical Images