Synchronous Triplanar Reconstruction Integrated with Color Doppler Mapping for Precise and Rapid Localization of Thyroid Lesions

Summary

Here we present a 5D ultrasound technique combining multi-planar 3D reconstruction and color Doppler fusion, which enables synchronous visualization of thyroid structural and functional information. By minimizing blind spots, this method allows rapid, precise localization of lesions to improve diagnostic accuracy, especially benefiting novice practitioners.

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel thyroid examination technique based on five-dimensional (5D) synchronous reconstruction of ultrasound data. The raw temporal sequences are reconstructed into 3D volumetric data reflecting anatomical structure. Triplanar visualization from three orthogonal planes is realized to provide a systematic inspection of the entire gland. Color Doppler imaging is integrated into each triplanar slice to map vascularity changes. This multi-modal fusion enables synchronous display of structural, functional, and blood flow information in the reconstructed 5D space. Compared to conventional scanning, this technique offers the benefits of flexible offline diagnosis, reduced dependency on scanning, enhanced intuitive interpretation, and comprehensive multi-aspect evaluation. By minimizing oversight errors, it could improve diagnostic accuracy, especially for novice practitioners. The proposed 5D fusion method allows rapid and precise localization of lesions for early detection. Future work will explore integration with biochemical markers to further improve diagnostic precision. The technique has considerable clinical value for advancing thyroid examination.

Introduction

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), the most frequent autoimmune thyroid disorder (AITD), is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient areas of the world¹. It is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and autoantibodies against thyroid antigens, leading to the destruction of thyroid architecture and hypothyroidism². Staging of HT aims to assess the severity and guide treatment decisions. It relies on a combination of biochemical markers such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid autoantibodies³, as well as ultrasonographic features visible on thyroid ultrasound

Protocol

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Sunsimiao Hospital affiliated with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The patient was recruited from the Department of Thyroid, Sunsimiao Hospital. The patient underwent a thyroid ultrasound examination and gave informed consent for the study. In this investigation, 4D ultrasound data acquired using a handheld device were utilized to reconstruct triplanar views of the thyroid gland. Furthermore, real-time synchronous color Doppler imaging was achieved........

Discussion

Critical steps in the protocol
While Figure 1 and Figure 2 have value for inspection and diagnosis, determining lesion location and views from other perspectives requires expert experience. For the diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), synchronizing Figure 1 and Figure 2 in real time is also an important and critical step. Protocol step 3.3 is one of the key steps where, .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
MATLAB	MathWorks	2023B	Computing and visualization
Tools for Thyroid Disease Precision Quantification	Intelligent Entropy	Thyroid-3D V1.0	Beijing Intelligent Entropy Science & Technology Co Ltd. Modeling for Thyroid Disease