Objective To evaluate the correlation between sonographic features of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma(PTMC) and cervical lymph node metastasis.Methods Preoperative sonographic features of 379 papillary thyroid microcarcinoma in 341 patients were retrospectively reviewed,and were divided into two groups,lymph node metastasis and lymph node non-metastasis according to pathology.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze the sonographic features relevant to lymph node metastasis.Results Univariate analysis revealed that unclear border,microcalcification and multifocal PTMC were statistically significant(all P ＜0.05).Multivariate analysis revealed that microcalcification and multifocal PTMC were statistically significant (both P ＜0.05).Conclusions Microcalcification and multifocal PTMC are closely relevant to cervical lymph node metastasis.

Objective To assess the enhancement effect of diagnostic ultrasound combined with microbubbles in the generation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)and nitric Oxide(NO)in endothelial cells.Methods Normal cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC)were divided into blank control group(A group),simple microbubble group(B group),simple ultrasound group(C group)and ultrasound combined with microbubble group(D group).According to different conditions,group D was divided into three sub-groups:different time groups(1 min,5 min,10 min);different machinery index(MI)groups(0.09,0.4,1.0),different microbubble concentration groups(5×10~8/ml,2.5×10~8/ml,1.25×10~8/ml).Cell morpha was observed in the light microscope immediately and 24 h after the intervention,respectively.RT-PCR was used to measure the relative expression of eNOS in cells.NO kit was used to measure the NO Ievels in culture medium.And statistical methods were used to analyse the experimental data.Results NO and eNOS were significantly higher in group D than the other three groups.When MI=1.0,microbubble concentration=2.5×10~8/ml,and irradiation time=10 min,the increase of eNOS and NO in group D was the most obvious.Furthermore,the cell morphology had no significant change in the light microscope immediately and 24 h after the intervention.Conclusions Ultrasound combined with microbubble can increase the generation of eNOS and NO in endothelial cells.

To investigate the association of preoperative clinical and sonographic characteristics of clinically node‐negative ( cN0) papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC) with central lymph node metastasis ( CLNM ) . Methods A total of 514 patients with PTC confirmed by pathology in our hospital were included in the retrospective analysis . Clinical and sonographic characteristics were assessed including age ,gender ,tumor size ,and the distance between the tumor and the capsule . These cases were all diagnosed as cN0 according to clinical and sonography examinations . And the cases were divided into CLNM ( + ) group and CLNM ( －) group based on the pathological results . T hen statistical analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between CLNM and risk factors of cN 0 PTCs . Results ① Of the 514 cN0 PTC cases ,211 cases ( 41 .1% ) were CLNM ( + ) and 303 cases ( 58 .9% ) were CLNM ( －) . ② With the presence of capsule invasion in the ultrasound examination ,the probability of CLNM ( + ) group was higher than that of CLNM ( －) group ( 62 .1% vs 37 .9% ) . ③ In the 364 cases without capsule invasion ,the probability of CLNM ( + ) was significantly increased when the distance between the tumor and the capsule was ＜ 1 .5 mm ( 88 .8% vs 11 .2% ) . ④ M ultivariate analysis showed that risk factors independently associated with CLNM included age ＜45 years old ,tumor maximum diameter ≥10 mm ,and the distance between the tumor and the capsule ＜ 1 .5 mm ,among w hich the distance between the tumor and the capsule ＜1 .5 mm had the highest OR value . Conclusions In cN0 PTC patients ,CLNM is associated with age ,size and the distance between the tumor and the capsule .