The UGSR allows potential differentiation PTMCs and MNGs.

CEUS has important clinical value for needle biopsy of central lung cancer with atelectasis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of ultrasound gray-scale ratio (UGSR) for the differential diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and micronodular goiter (MNG) in two medical centers.MethodsUltrasound images of 881 PTMCs from 785 patients and 744 MNGs from 687 patients in center A were retrospectively analyzed and compared with 243 PTMCs from 203 patients and 251 MNGs from 198 patients in center B. All cases were confirmed by surgery and histology. The grayscale values of thyroid lesions and surrounding normal tissues were measured, and the UGSR was calculated. The optimal UGSR threshold for identifying PTMCs and MNGs in two medical centers was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and the area under the curve (AUC), optimal UGSR threshold, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were compared between the two medical centers.ResultsThe UGSR values of PTMCs and MNGs in medical center A were 0.5537 (0.4699, 0.6515) and 0.8708 (0.7616, 1.0123) (Z = -27.691, P = 0), respectively, whereas those in medical center B were 0.5517 (0.4698, 0.6377) and 0.8539 (0.7366, 0.9929) (Z = -16.057, P = 0), respectively. The UGSR of PTMCs and MNGs did not differ significantly between the two medical centers (Z = -0.609, P = 0.543 and Z = -1.394, P = 0.163, respectively). The AUC, optimal UGSR threshold, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the two medical centers were 0.898 vs. 0.918, 0.7214 vs. 0.6911, 0.881 vs. 0.868, 0.817 vs. 0.833, 0.851 vs. 0.834, 0.853 vs. 0.867, and 0.852 vs. 0.850, respectively.ConclusionsUGSR can quantify the echo intensity of PTMCs and MNGs and is therefore valuable for the differential diagnosis of the two diseases. The diagnostic efficacy was consistent between the two medical centers. This method should be widely promoted and applied.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of IL-6 gene promoter -174G/C and -572G/C polymorphism on endothelial function of Chinese T2DM and normal glucose regulation (NGR) subjects. 512 newly diagnosed T2DM patients and 483 NGR subjects were recruited and Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed for the IL-6 gene promoter -174G/C and -572G/C polymorphism. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured as a non-invasive indicator for endothelial function. The results show that the C allele and CC genotype at -174 of IL-6 gene promoter region was extremely rare in both T2DM and NGR groups; genotypes' and alleles' frequency at -572 of IL-6 gene promoter region is of no difference between T2DM and NGR groups; within T2DM group, higher plasma IL-6 concentration and lower FMD was found in patients with -572 GC (2.36 ± 0.69, 4.23 ± 3.82%) or GG (2.32 ± 0.74, 4.24 ± 3.67%) genotype, compared with patients with CC (2.15 ± 0.62, 5.28 ± 3.94%) genotype. The conclusion of the study is that in comparison with patients of CC genotype, the T2DM patients of -572 GC or GG genotype may have more aggravated endothelial dysfunction (ED) and be at higher risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).