Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodule characterization: a systematic…

Meta-analysisActa radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987)· Jul 2026

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodule characterization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xiang Huo, Jianlin He, Yijun Sun, Yanhong Ren

Head & Neck & Endocrine PathologyMeta-analysisDiagnosisQ3IF 1.3

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound reaches 81.6% diagnostic accuracy for characterizing thyroid nodules

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodule characterization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xiang Huo … Yanhong Ren

Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden · Jul 2026 · Q3 in General Medicine

Background

Differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules is essential for effective patient management.

Purpose

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (contrast-enhanced ultrasound) for thyroid nodule characterization based on currently available evidence.

Methods

ResultsA total of 59 studies were included in the systematic review.

n = 59 studies

Results

Correctly distinguished benign from malignant thyroid nodules in about 82% of cases

78.6%

Sensitivity

82.6%

Specificity

More results

Material and Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodules.

Among these, 54 contrast-enhanced ultrasound studies provided sufficient data for quantitative synthesis.

More results

Subgroup analyses indicated that examiner experience significantly influenced diagnostic performance, with higher sensitivity observed in studies involving more experienced operators.

Meta-regression did not identify statistically significant independent associations between examined covariates and diagnostic outcomes.

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

The available literature indicates that contrast-enhanced ultrasound demonstrates favorable diagnostic performance for differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Further prospective studies using standardized imaging protocols and reporting frameworks are needed to better define the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in thyroid nodule evaluation.

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodule characterization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for thyroid nodule characterization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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