Transvaginal Real-time Shear Wave Elastography in the Diagnosis of Cervical Disease

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the value of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of cervical disease.

Methods: This work was a retrospective analysis of 246 cases of cervical lesions confirmed by transvaginal conventional ultrasound, shear wave elastography, and a cytologic test. The lesions were divided into 2 groups according to the final pathologic results: a malignant cervical group and a benign cervical group. In addition, the normal cervix was set as the control group.

Results: The maximum and mean shear wave velocity values ± SD were 5.24 ± 1.11 and 4.91 ± 1.12 m/s for the malignant cervical group, 3.93 ± 0.39 and 3.53 ± 0.52 m/s for the benign cervical group, and 3.27 ± 0.31 and 2.86 ± 0.23 m/s for the normal cervix, respectively. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the maximum and mean shear wave velocity in the differential diagnosis of a normal cervix and benign cervical tumors were 0.909 and 0.878 (both P < .001), whereas in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant cervical tumors, they were 0.909 and 0.895 (both P < .001).

Conclusions: Shear wave elastography can quantitatively analyze the elastic characteristics of cervical diseases, help differentially diagnose cervical diseases, accurately determine the extent of tumor invasion, and improve effective clinical staging and treatment.

Keywords: cervical neoplasms; gynecology; shear wave elastography; ultrasound.