Objective To investigate the combination of multiple CT signs in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of nodular goiters (NGs).Methods The CT images of 242 pathologically confirmed lesions (＞ 10 mm in diameter) from 188 patients with nodular goiters were retrospectively reviewed.The CT signs,including regular shape,cystic degeneration,clearer enhancement margin,strong enhancement of nodular goiters were compared with those of 236 pathologically confirmed lesions (＞ 10 mm in diameter)from 225 patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of different CT signs or their combination in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of NGs were analyzed.Results Regular shape was present in 208 of 242 NGs (86.0％) and in 35 of 236 PTCs (14.8％) (x2 =241.804,P =0.000).Cystic degeneration was present in 143 of 242 NGs (59.1％) and 7 of 236 PTCs (3.0％)(x2 =174.783,P =0.000).Clearer enhancement margin was present in 192 of 242 NGs (79.3 ％) and in 51 of 236 PTCs (21.6％) (x2 =159.318,P =0.000).Strong enhancement was present in 41 of 242 NGs(16.9％) and in 3 of 236 PTCs (1.3％) (x2 =35.108,P =0.000).Regular shape showed the highest sensitivity and accuracy for diagnosis of NGs (86.0％ and 85.6％),while strong enhancement showed the highest specificity (98.7％).The combination of regular shape and clearer enhancement margin showed the highest sensitivity and accuracy of 67.4％ and 80.5％,respectively.The combination of strong enhancement with any of other signs showed the highest specificity of 100.0％.The combination of regular shape,cystic degeneration and clearer enhancement margin showed the highest sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of 45.5％,99.6％ and 72.2％ respectively.The combing of 4 signs showed a sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of 2.9％,100.0％ and 50.8％.Conclusion CT scan is effective for diagnosis of NGs,and the combination of different CT signs can significantly improve the specificity and reduce the incidence of misdiagnosis to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Objective To evaluate the imaging feature of microcarcinoma of thyroid with CT.Methods CT findings of 50 lesions in 47 patients with microcarcinoma of thyroid ( dimeter,0.5 to 1.0 cm) were retrospectively analyzed.All of the patients had pathological diagnosis.Results Of the 50 lesions,38 lesions showed homogeneous low density on non-enhanced CT and various degree of enhancement on postcontrast CT. Thirty-three lesions showed discontinuous edge of the thyroids on non-enhanced CT. The boundary of 30 lesions became unclear on post-contrast CT relative to non-enhanced CT and the extension of low density of lesions decreased. Theshape of 31 lesions were irregular. Fifteen lesions showed calcifications,with granular calcifications in 13 lesions.Ten lesions were complicated with thyroiditis.Conclusions Irregular shape,discontinuous edge of the thyroids,the shrinkage of low density of lesions on post-contrast CT relative to non-enhanced CT,granular calcifications and multiple small lymph node around lesions indicate the diagnosis of microcarcinoma of the thyroid.It should be noted that thyroiditis can cover up microcarcinoma of thyroid.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of hyperenhancement sign on ultrasound,CT and their combination in diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant nodules.Methods The contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT datas of 172 thyroid nodules in 144 cases confirmed by operation and pathology were retrospectively analyzed,including 97 benign nodules and 75 malignant nodules.According to the degree of enhancement,these nodules were divided into iso-or low-enhancement and hyperenhancement.The distributions of ultrasound hyperenhancement,CT hyperenhancement and both of them in thyroid benign and malignant nodules,adenomatoid lesions and nodular goiters were analyzed,followed byx2 test for statistical analysis.Results In 172 thyroid nodules,the proportions of ultrasound hyperenhancement,CT hyperenhancement and both of them in thyroid benign and malignant nodules were 53.6％(52/97) and 20.0％(15/75)(x2＝20.090,P＜0.05),34.0％ (33/97) and 4.0％ (3/75) (x2＝23.033,P＜0.05),31.0％ (30/97) and 0％ (0/75) (x2＝28.096,P＜0.05),respectively.Their sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing benign nodules were 53.6％ (52/97) and 80.0％ (60/75),34.0％ (33/97) and 96％ (72/75),30.9％ (30/97) and 100％ (75/75),respectively.The proportions of ultrasound hyperenhancement,CT hyperenhancement and both of them in adenomatoid lesions and nodular goiters were 96.9％(31/32) and 32.3％(21/65)0x2＝35.946,P＜0.05),65.6％(21/32) and 18.5％(12/65)(x2＝21.250,P＜0.05),65.6％(21/32) and 13.8％ (9/65)(x2＝26.912,P＜0.05).Their sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing adenomatoid lesions were 96.9％(31/32) and 67.7％(44/65),65.6％(21/32) and 81.5％(53/65),65.6％(21/32) and 87.2％(56/65).Conclusions Ultrasound hyperenhancement,CT hyperenhancement for diagnosing thyroid benign nodules are of significant value.Especially for adenomatoid nodules,ultrasound hyperenhancement has a higher sensitivity,while CT hyperenhancement has a higher specificity.Their combination can further improve the diagnostic specificity,thus reducing the unnecessary surgical trauma.

Objective:To study the incidence, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma (AITL). Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 31 patients with AITL treated in the tumor hospital of Harbin Medical University between January 1995 and January 2008. We also analyzed the incidence, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of AITL. Results:The complete response rate and partial response rate of the entire group were 54.8%and 16.1%, respectively. The overall response rate was 70.9%, and the median survival time was 27.3 months. The five-year survival rate of the entire group was 35%. The response rate was 76.5%in the CHOP group and 75%in the COP group. No significant differences were detected between two groups (P>0.05). Con-clusion:The symptoms and signs of ATIL differ in different sites. The COP and CHOP regimens have similar efficacy and tolerable side effects.

Objective To assess the value of CT in identification and diagnosis of benign and malignant calcified thyroid nodules.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the CT data of 313 surgically and pathologically confirmed cases with 378 calcified nodules.Based on the size,morphology,and number,calcification was divided into microcalcification (d≤2 mm and axis displayed in only one cross-section),coarse calcification (d＞2 mm or displayed in two or more cross-sections),annular calcification (arc or annular),and multiple microcalcifications (solitary multiple microcalcification without a soft tissue lump);a distribution of microcalcification,coarse calcification,and annular calcification as well as a clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data in benign and malignant thyroid nodules were observed.Results The 378 nodules consisted of 259 benign nodules (68.5％) (all were nodular goiters) and 119 malignant nodules (31.5％) (including 111 papillary thyroid carcinomas,4 follicular carcinomas,3 medullary thyroid carcinomas and 1 lymphoma).Microcalcification was more common in malignant nodules (MNs) than in benign nodules (BNs),with a rate of 43.6％ vs 12.4％,respectively (P≤0.05),and its sensitivity,specificity,positive predicted value,and negative predicted value were 42.9％,87.6％,61.4％ and 76.9％,respectively.Coarse calcification,annular calcification,and clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data were more common in BNs than in MNs,with rates of 52.9％ vs 20.2％ (P≤0.05),66.0％ vs 42.0％ (P≤0.05) and 43.2％ vs 19.3％ (P≤0.05),respectively,whose sensitivity,specificity,positive predicted value and negative predicted value were 66.0％ vs 22.4％ vs 43.2％,58.0％ vs 86.6％ vs 80.7％,77.4％ vs 78.4％ vs 83％,and 43.9％ vs 33.9％ vs 39.8％,respectively.Two multiple microcalcifications without a soft tissue lump were MNs (papillary thyroid carcinoma).Conclusions Microcalcification and multiple calcifications are conducive to the diagnosis of MNs,whereas coarse calcification,annular calcification,and clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data benefit the diagnosis of BNs,but the low specificity and high false positive rate suggest that the judgment of BNs or MNs should not depend on coarse calcification alone.

Objective To analyze CT characteristics of patients with primary parathyroid hyperplasia ( PPH) , parathyroid adenoma ( PA) , atypical parathyroid adenoma ( APA) , and parathyroid carcinoma ( PC) and to evaluate the value of CT in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism ( PHPT ) . Methods CT scan of 134 pathologically proved PHPT patients with complete clinical and laboratory data were retrorespectively analyzed .The similarities and differences of CT features in patients with PPH , PA, APA and PC were studied.Results Among 140 lesions in the 134 patients, 130 cases had solitary parathyroid mass and 4 cases had 10 parathyroid masses , including 22 lesions in 17 patients with PPH, with the diameter ranging from 0.6 cm to 2.8 cm(1.2 ±0.6)cm, 106 lesions in 105 patients with PA, with the diameter ranging from 0.3 cm to 3.2 cm (1.1 ±0.6)cm, 10 lesions in 10 patients with APA, with the diameter ranging from 0.9 cm to 3.3 cm(2.6 ± 0.6)cm, and 2 lesions in 2 patients with PC, with the diameter ranging from 2.1 cm to 3.0 cm(2.6 ±0.6)cm. 124 lesions were located in tracheo-esophageal groove or at the side of trachea on CT .The boundaries between the parathyroid and thyroid gland were low density .3 lesions did not appear .9 lesions were located at the area over the manubrium sterni among 13 lesions which were ectopic.CT images showed round (29.9%,41/137), oval (38.0%,52/137), triangular(19.7%, 27/137), and cylindrical(12.4%,17/137) tumors in 137 lesions.The density of lesions were 30-66 Hu(45.0 ±12.3)Hu on non-enhanced CT scan, and 59-209 Hu(121.8 ±32.7)Hu on enhanced scan .Different pathological lesions had no statistical difference on location ( left upper , left lower , right upper, right lower, ectopic)(χ2 =15.839), linear low density sign(χ2 =1.896), shape(χ2 =10.945), non-enhanced CT(χ2 =0.915) or enhancement CT(χ2 =6.165)(P>0.05).Different pathological lesions had statistical significance on sizes(χ2 =18.395, P<0.05).The diameter of APA-PC was bigger than that in PH-PA.99 lesions exhibited homogeneous enhancement , and 38 lesions exhibited heterogeneous enhancement .The necrosis rate of APA-PC was more than that of PH-PA(χ2 =7.929, P<0.05).Conclusions The lesions origi-nate from parathyroid if they are located in tracheo-esophageal groove or at the side of trachea with hyperparathy-roidism.Multiple lesions help in PH diagnosis .Large size and necrosis in lesions imply APA or PC .The location (left upper, left lower, right upper, right lower, ectopic), shape, density and the degree of enhancement of the lesions have not specificity for diagnosis of PHPT .

Objective To evaluate the value of annular calcification in CT in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis for benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods CT findings of 67 nodules in 67 patients pathologically diagnosed with annular calcifications were retrospectively analyzed to identify 49 benign nodules and 18 malignant nodules.The interior or boundaries of annular calcification before and after contrast-enhancement were compared,and the degree of enhancements of both interior annular calcification and thyroid tissues were observed.After contrast-enhancement,the numbers of lesions showing clearer boundaries and higher degree of enhancement were summarized.Statistic analysis was conducted by using x2 test.Results Among 67 nodules with annular calcifications,clearer boundaries after contrast-enhancement were observed in 61.2％ (30/49) benign nodules and 16.7％ (3/18) malignant nodules,showing significant statistical difference (x2 =10.457,P ＜ 0.05).The sensitivity and specificity of clearer edge after contrast-enhancement for benign nodules were 61.2％ (30/49) and 83.3％ (15/18) respectively.Higher degree of enhancement were observed in 16.3％ (8/49) in benign nodules and 0(0/18) malignant nodules,showing no significant statistical difference (x2 =3.337,P ＞ 0.05).The sensitivity and specificity of higher degree of enhancement for benign nodules were 16.3％ (8/49) and 100.0％ (18/18) respectively.The combination of clearer boundaries and higher degree of enhancement after contrast-enhancement was observed in 77.6％ (38/49) benign nodules and 16.7％ (3/18) malignant nodules,showing significant statistical difference (x2 =20.549,P ＜ 0.05).Meanwhile,the sensitivity and specificity of such combination for benign nodules were 77.6％ (38/49) and 83.3％ (15/18) respectively.Conclusions CT is important in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with annular calcification.Clearer boundary after contrast-enhancement and its combination with higher degree of enhancement are helpful for the diagnosis of benign nodules.Boundaries that similar to or more obscure than that of plain scan indicate malignant nodules.

Objective To assess the value of CT hyperenhancement sign in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.Methods CT findings of 2926 nodules in 1676 patients were retrospectively analyzed,among which 2174 nodules were benign and 752 nodules were malignant.All the patients had pathological diagnosis.The degrees of enhancement were divided into hyperenhancement and iso/hypoenhancement.The distribution of hyperenhancement in benign and malignant nodules were summarized.The sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive value and accuracy of hyperenhancement for benign nodules and adenomatoid nodules were observed.Results Hyperenhancement was more common in benign nodules than in malignant nodules (10.3％ vs 0.7％,x2 =70.259,P ＜ 0.05),and its sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive value and accuracy was 9.8％,99.5％,98.2％,27.6％ and 32.8％,respectively.Hyperenhancement was more common in adenomatoid nodules than in nonadenomatoid benign nodules (67.4％ vs 6.1％,x2 =525.025,P ＜ 0.05),and its sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive value and accuracy was 67.4％,93.9％,41.6％,97.8％ and 92.3％,respectively.Conclusion Hyperenhancement sign is an important sign which can effectively differentiate benign nodules from malignant nodules,and adenomatoid nodules from nonadenomatoid benign nodules,and it is helpful for diagnosis of benign nodules and adenomatoid nodules.

Objective To assess the value of computed tomgraphy (CT)in differential diagnosis between medullar thyroid carcinoma (MTC)and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).Methods CT findings of 20 lesions in 16 MTC patients and 35 lesions in 35 PTC patients were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were confirmed by pathology exam.We investigated the shape,location,bitten cookie sign,calification and lymph node metastasis between the two groups of patients to summarize the sensitivity and specificity of regular shape for MTC or lesions located in lower thyroid lobe,bitten cookie sign,lymph node metastasis for PTC.Results Regular shape was more common in MTC patients than in PTC patients (X2=5.815,P=0.016),with sensitivity and specificity of 55％ and 77.1％ respectively.Lesions were located at lower thyroid(X2=10.732,P=0.001),bitten cookie sign(X2=18.832,P=0.000)and lymph node metastasis (X2=4.377,P=0.036)was significantly more common in PTC patients than in MTC patients,with sensitivity and specificity of 40％ (14/35)and 100％ (16/16),80％ (28/35)and 80％ (16/20),and 68.6％(24/35)and 62.5％(10/16)respectively.Calcification was not significantly different between MTC and PTC patients (X2=0.550,P=0.458).Conclusions CT plays an important role in differential diagnosis between MTC and PTC.Regular shape is helpful for the diagnosis of MTC.Leisions located at lower thyroid,with bitten cookie sign and lymph node metastasis are conductive to the diagnosis of PTC.

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinicopathologic features of hereditary cutaneomucosal venous malformation (VMCM) in a Chinese family.MethodsFamily history was investigated in a family with VMCM,and tissue specimens were obtained from the lesions of the proband and subjected to histopathological analysis.ResultsAmong 65 members from 5 generations of the family,19 were affected by VMCM,hinting an autosomal dominant inheritance.None of the family members experienced gastrointestinal bleeding,central nervous system disorders,or cardiac defects.Affected individuals usually presented with multiple irregularly sized,blue-violet,elevated and slightly indurated masses located in the oral mucosa and subcutaneous tissue of the extremities.Pathological analysis showed malformed veins with abnormally dilated cavities and irregularly thickened walls.Although small veins were abnormally proliferating and clustered,there was no endothelial discontinuity.The smooth muscle layer was thickned in a varying degree or absent.ConclusionA diagnosis of VMCM is made according to the inheritance manner,clinical manifestation and pathological findings.