Thyroid lobe ultrasound imaging protocols

US was performed on the LOGIQ E9 device (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Separate scans of each thyroid lobe (left and right) were acquired. ConUS was conducted with the linear matrix array ML6-15 according to a local standard operating procedure [7 (link)]. For 3DsnUS, a magnetic field and specific position sensors equipped to the ML6-15 probe were necessary. For 3DmsUS an automated mechanically swept 3D convex probe (RAB4-8) was used. The methodology of these 3D-US applications has been described in several previous publications [14 (link),19 (link),20 (link)]. All 3D-US data sets were transferred to the research software PMOD (Version 4.1, PMOD Technologies Ltd., Zürich, Switzerland). Examination settings and acquired data sets are depictured in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
The parameter settings for the two investigated 3D-US applications are shown in Table 1.