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The purpose of this study was to correlate the diagnosis of benign or malignant thyroid nodules obtained with grey-scale ultrasound (US) and colour-Doppler US with the cytological findings after US-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Between January 2004 and June 2005, 516 thyroid nodules in 420 patients (181 solitary thyroid nodules and 239 multiple nodules) were prospectively evaluated with US, colour-Doppler US and US-guided FNA. The nodules were classified as sonographically benign, suspicious or malignant in accordance with established US criteria. Cytological findings were classified as inadequate, benign, indeterminate, suspicious or malignant. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy of US and colour-Doppler US were evaluated using FNA as the reference procedure. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and overall accuracy values of grey-scale US were 46%, 73%, 34%, 82% and 67%, respectively, for solitary thyroid nodules and 35%, 72%, 14%, 90% and 68%, respectively, for multiple nodules. The evaluation of nodule vascularity with colour-Doppler US produced a slight increase in sensitivity but a slight reduction in specificity. Thyroid nodules cannot be accurately characterised using grey-scale US or colour-Doppler US.

A number of surgical procedures that significantly change the penile anatomy and vasculature can be used to manage pathologic conditions of the penis (eg, congenital and acquired deformities, erectile dysfunction, priapism). Phallic reconstruction surgery can be used for sex reassignment and after penile amputation or for correction of congenital malformations. Color Doppler ultrasonography (US) clearly depicts the normal penile anatomy and postoperative changes (eg, changes of the tunica albuginea, extraalbugineal pathologic fluid collections, cavernosal tissue changes produced by scars and fibrosis). It is also effective in evaluating surgery-related complications and determining the causes of erectile dysfunction and other unsatisfactory long-term results. Moreover, color Doppler US of the penile vessels and vascular anastomoses following revascularization allows direct evaluation of flow characteristics, shunt patency, and venous engorgement. Color Doppler US is the imaging modality of choice in evaluating patients who have undergone penile surgery.

Injury to the penis may result from penetrating or nonpenetrating trauma. Nonpenetrating injury to the erect penis can produce albugineal tear, intracavernous hematoma or extraalbugineal hematoma from rupture of the dorsal vessels. Nonpenetrating injury to the flaccid penis usually follows blunt perineal traumas producing extratunical or cavernosal haematomas, or cavernosal artery tear followed by high flow priapism. Differential diagnosis between albugineal tear and other penile injuries must be obtained as soon as possible, since early surgical repair of albugineal tear reduces significantly the rate of postraumatic curvature and fibrosis. Ultrasonography (US) is able to detect the exact site of the tear in most patients as an interruption of the thin echogenic line of the tunica albuginea. Other imaging techniques are rarely required in the clinical practice. Color Doppler US is the imaging modality of choice to evaluate patients with high flow priapism. Focal or diffuse cavernosal fibrosis can be identified with US as echogenic areas in the cavernosal bodies. Postraumatic erectile dysfunction can result from fibrotic changes, nerve and vascular impairment or both. Doppler evaluation of penile vasculature is required in young patients with postraumatic impotence before surgical revascularization procedures.

Rationale and Objectives This study was performed to determine whether ultrasound (US) performed with SonoVue, a contrast agent that contains microbubbles filled with sulfur hexafluoride vapor, depicts differential patterns of contrast enhancement in focal hepatic lesions. Materials and Methods Forty focal hepatic lesions (15 hepatocellular carcinomas [HCCs], 10 metastases, 11 hemangiomas, and four focal nodular hyperplasias) in 39 patients were evaluated by means of US, color Doppler US, and contrast-enhanced US performed by using intermittent high-acoustic-power mode. Contrast-enhanced helical computed tomography (11 patients) and US-guided fine needle aspiration (28 patients) were used as reference procedures. Contrast enhancement patterns were defined by means of both subjective and objective analysis, and baseline and contrast-enhanced US scans were reviewed offline. Results Thirteen of 15 HCCs, eight of 10 metastases, and all four hemangiomas with an atypical pattern at baseline US were correctly characterized after SonoVue injection. Two of 15 HCCs and two of 10 metastases remained indeterminate, with no characteristic baseline or contrast-enhanced patterns identified. Baseline US was essential in characterizing all hemangiomas with a typical pattern (n = 7), and color Doppler US with spectral analysis of tumoral vessels was essential in characterizing focal nodular hyperplasia. The percentage of diagnostic agreement with reference procedures was significantly increased (P Conclusion Characteristic patterns of US contrast enhancement with SonoVue help in characterizing and differentiating focal hepatic lesions.