SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2026
Diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with other imaging techniques in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules: a network meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: This network meta-analysis (NMA) intends to fully assess the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) combined with other imaging techniques in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules (TNs), and provide clinical guidance. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane up to October 15, 2025, and assessed study quality by the QUADAS-2 tool. The combination of CEUS and CEUS with other techniques was assessed for accuracy by R4.5.1 and ANOVA-based NMA. Results: Twenty-six original studies were included, encompassing 5022 TNs from 4484 patients. CEUS-ultrasound elastography (UE) demonstrated favorable diagnostic performance in differentiating benign and malignant TNs (superiority index [SI]: 3.47, 95%CI 0.2-7). The pooled sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) of CEUS-UE were 0.92 (95%CI 0.88-0.95, SUCRA 80.0%) and 0.83 (95%CI 0.75-0.89, SUCRA 60.7%), respectively. CEUS-artificial intelligence (AI) was generally effective in identifying high-risk TNs (SI: 3.81, 95%CI 0.33-9), with pooled SE and SP of 0.95 (95%CI 0.91-0.98, SUCRA 90.0%) and 0.81 (95%CI 0.68-0.91, SUCRA 49.6%), respectively. CEUS-conventional ultrasound (US) showed favorable diagnostic performance in identifying non-risk-stratified TNs (SI: 5.29, 95%CI 0.33-9), with pooled SE and SP of 0.89 (95% CI 0.74-0.97, SUCRA 61.4%) and 0.88 (95%CI 0.69-0.97, SUCRA 76.9%), respectively. Conclusion: CEUS-UE demonstrates favorable overall diagnostic performance in differentiating benign and malignant TNs. CEUS-AI may offer additional value in identifying high-risk TNs with multiple suspicious features. CEUS-US is effective in identifying non-risk-stratified TNs. However, these subgroup findings require further validation in larger, diverse external cohorts. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/myprospero, identifier CRD420251169562.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.