The Role of CEUS in Interventional Ablation of Thyroid Tumors

Learning objectives:
1. Understand the advantages of CEUS over conventional B-mode ultrasound
- Explain how CEUS enhances real-time visualization of thyroid tumor vasculature and ablation zones, particularly in differentiating residual/recurrent lesions from post-ablation changes.
- Discuss the limitations of conventional ultrasound in identifying tumor margins and microvascular perfusion during ablation planning
2. Evaluate the role of CEUS in optimizing ablation guidance and efficacy
- Analyze how CEUS improves procedural accuracy by mapping tumor blood supply patterns and guiding precise needle placement during microwave or radiofrequency ablation.
- Describe its utility in intraprocedural monitoring to ensure complete ablation and avoid damage to critical adjacent structures (e.g., recurrent laryngeal nerve).
3. Assess post-ablation applications of CEUS in clinical follow-up
- Summarize CEUS’s ability to detect complications (e.g., hemorrhage, incomplete ablation) and evaluate treatment response in early follow-up stages
- Compare CEUS with other imaging modalities (e.g., CT, MRI) for cost-effectiveness and safety in patients with contraindications to iodinated contrast agents