Can Ultrasound Elastography Be Used as an Objective Measure in Tonsillectomy Indications?
Shear wave elastography accurately distinguishes diseased from normal tonsils
Can Ultrasound Elastography Be Used as an Objective Measure in Tonsillectomy Indications?
The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the strain ratio (strain ratio) and shear wave elastography (shear wave elastography) in distinguishing normal tonsils from those affected by adenotonsillar hypertrophy (adenotonsillar hypertrophy) and chronic tonsillitis (chronic tonsillitis), and to assess their correlation and clinical applicability.
This study consisted of 96 participants, which included 31 controls, 55 with adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and 10 with chronic tonsillitis.
Shear wave elastography tells diseased from healthy tonsils apart with near-perfect accuracy
Shear wave elastography and submandibular gland-based strain ratio values were consistently higher in the adenotonsillar hypertrophy and chronic tonsillitis groups than in controls, whereas the tongue-based strain ratio showed less consistent differences.
Shear wave elastography achieved the highest sensitivity, and right-sided shear wave elastography achieved the highest specificity.
Shear wave elastography results correlated positively with the submandibular gland-based strain ratio, whereas the tongue-based strain ratio showed no consistent correlation.
Elastography effectively differentiates normal from pathological tonsillar tissue, with shear wave elastography providing superior diagnostic accuracy.
As a non-invasive adjunct to conventional ultrasonography, shear wave elastography may help assess tonsillar disease severity, guide clinical management, and avoid unnecessary surgery.