机构:[1]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, Tongren Hosp, Publ Hlth Res Ctr, Sch Med, Shanghai, Peoples R China[2]Tend AI Med Technol Co, Project Dept, Shanghai, Peoples R China[3]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, Tongren Hosp, Dept Gen Practice, Sch Med, Shanghai, Peoples R China[4]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, China Hosp Dev Inst, Ctr Community Hlth Care, Shanghai, Peoples R China
Thyroid nodule, as a common clinical endocrine disease, has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Ultrasound, as the premier method of thyroid imaging, plays an important role in accurately diagnosing and managing thyroid nodules. However, there is a high degree of inter- and intra-observer variability in image interpretation due to the different knowledge and experience of sonographers who have huge ultrasound examination tasks everyday. Artificial intelligence based on computer-aided diagnosis technology maybe improve the accuracy and time efficiency of thyroid nodules diagnosis. This study introduced an artificial intelligence software called SW-TH01/II to evaluate ultrasound image characteristics of thyroid nodules including echogenicity, shape, border, margin, and calcification. We included 225 ultrasound images from two hospitals in Shanghai, respectively. The sonographers and software performed characteristics analysis on the same group of images. We analyzed the consistency of the two results and used the sonographers' results as the gold standard to evaluate the accuracy of SW-TH01/II. A total of 449 images were included in the statistical analysis. For the seven indicators, the proportions of agreement between SW-TH01/II and sonographers' analysis results were all greater than 0.8. For the echogenicity (with very hypoechoic), aspect ratio and margin, the kappa coefficient between the two methods were above 0.75 (P < 0.001). The kappa coefficients of echogenicity (echotexture and echogenicity level), border and calcification between the two methods were above 0.6 (P < 0.001). The median time it takes for software and sonographers to interpret an image were 3 (2, 3) seconds and 26.5 (21.17, 34.33) seconds, respectively, and the difference were statistically significant (z = -18.36, P < 0.001). SW-TH01/II has a high degree of accuracy and great time efficiency benefits in judging the characteristics of thyroid nodule. It can provide more objective results and improve the efficiency of ultrasound examination. SW-TH01/II can be used to assist the sonographers in characterizing the thyroid nodule ultrasound images.
基金:
Clinical Research Project of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission
第一作者机构:[1]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, Tongren Hosp, Publ Hlth Res Ctr, Sch Med, Shanghai, Peoples R China
共同第一作者:
通讯作者:
通讯机构:[1]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, Tongren Hosp, Publ Hlth Res Ctr, Sch Med, Shanghai, Peoples R China[4]Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ, China Hosp Dev Inst, Ctr Community Hlth Care, Shanghai, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式(GB/T 7714):
Xu Chen,Wang Zuxin,Zhou Jun,et al.Application research of artificial intelligence software in the analysis of thyroid nodule ultrasound image characteristics[J].PLOS ONE.2025,20(6):doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0323343.
APA:
Xu, Chen,Wang, Zuxin,Zhou, Jun,Hu, Fan,Wang, Ying...&Cai, Yong.(2025).Application research of artificial intelligence software in the analysis of thyroid nodule ultrasound image characteristics.PLOS ONE,20,(6)
MLA:
Xu, Chen,et al."Application research of artificial intelligence software in the analysis of thyroid nodule ultrasound image characteristics".PLOS ONE 20..6(2025)