Acoustic radiation force imaging of the thyroid—generation of reference values by Virtual Touch Imaging and Quantification

ObjectivesTo investigate potential subject-related confounding factors for thyroid acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography.Methods and materialsA total of 194 subjects participated in the study.ResultsThe standard values in the right lobe were 2.52 ± 0.35 m/s (ventral half) and 2.43 ± 0.40 m/s (dorsal half). In the left lobe, velocities of 2.56 ± 0.37 m/s (ventral) and 2.48 ± 0.42 m/s (dorsal) were noted. A clear difference was observed between measurement values in the ventral and dorsal half (P < .0001). By contrast, none of the other factors exerted any effect on the measurements.ConclusionsARFI–Virtual Touch Imaging and Quantification appears to be a suitable and relatively robust method for examining the thyroid gland.