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Objective: To investigate the influence of different puncture needle types and ultrasonic characteristics of thyroid nodules on the sampling satisfaction rate of ultrasound⁃guided fine needle biopsy specimen. Methods: A total of 185 patients with thyroid nodules (185 nodules) who underwent fine⁃needle aspiration biopsy in Nanjing Tongren Hospital between August 2020 and August 2022 were included. All nodules received 23 G and 25 G ultrasound guided fine⁃needle aspiration biopsy. According to nodular ultrasonic characteristics (nodule size. coarse calcification. blood supply. echo) . puncture specimens were classified into satisfactory and unsatisfactory categories according to the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology . The influence of puncture needle types and nodular ultrasonic characteristics on the sampling satisfaction rate were evaluated. Results: There was no statistical difference in the overall sampling satisfaction rate between the 23 G group and the 25 G group (85.4% vs. 88.1% . P=0.443) . According to the maximum diameter. the nodules were divided into three groups. The satisfactory rate of specimen collection in the group ≤ 0.5 cm was lower than those in the group 0.5⁃1.0 cm and group≥ 1.0 cm (P < 0.05) . According to nodule calcification. the patients were divided into coarse calcification group and other groups. The satisfaction rate of 23 G fine needle in the coarse calcification group was higher than that of 25 G fine needle (76.5% vs. 52.9%. P < 0.05) . There was no statistical difference in the satisfaction rate of the two kinds of fine needle in other groups. According to the blood supply. the nodules were divided into the blood supply rich group and the blood supply deficient group. The satisfaction rate of 25 G fine needle in the blood supply rich group was higher than that of 23 G fine needle (83.3% vs. 61.9% . P < 0.05) . There was no statistical difference in the sample collection satisfaction rate between 23 G and 25 G fine needles in the blood supply deficient group. The nodules were divided into hypoechoic. isoechoic and hyperechoic groups according to their echo. There was no statistical difference in sampling satisfaction rate between 23 G and 25 G fine needles in different echo groups (P ≥ 0.05) . Conclusion: Small thyroid nodule (maximum diameter≤ 0.5 cm) . accompanied by coarse calcification or rich blood supply will affect the sampling satisfaction rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the ultrasonic characteristics of gouty arthritis（GA） in acute stage and remission stage and its correlation with the levels of serum interleukin（IL）-22 and IL-37. Methods: From July 2019 to March 2021, 64 patients diagnosed with GA in our hospital were selected as the gout group, and 32 healthy volunteers in our hospital during the same period as the normal control group. After ultrasonic examination and serum sample test, the ultrasonic characteristics of GA patients were observed and the levels of serum IL-22 and IL-37 were compared. Spearman test was used to analyze the correlation between the levels of serum IL-22 and IL-37 and the ultrasonic characteristics of GA patients.To compare the diagnostic value of ultrasonographic features combined with levels of IL-22 and IL-37 single or combined in acute and remission stages of gout arthritis. Results: The level of IL-22 in acute stage of gout group was significantly higher than that in remission stage and normal control group（P<0.05）. The level of IL-37 in gout group in acute phase and remission phase was significantly higher than that in normal control group, and the level of IL-37 in remission phase was higher than that in acute phase（P<0.05）. 29 of the 64 GA patients had tophi. 60 patients had joint effusion in the acute phase, and 22patients had joint effusion absorbed to normal levels in the remission phase. Synovial hyperplasia occurred in 52 patients in the acute phase and resolved in 14 patients in remission. There were 29 cases with dual-track syndrome, and only 1 case disappeared in remission. Bone erosion occurred in 14 cases, and no significant improvement was observed during remission. The thickness of effusion and synovium in remission phase were significantly less than that in acute phases（P<0.05）. There was a significant positive correlation between IL-22 level and the degree of joint effusion in both acute and remission phase（P<0.05）. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography combined with serum levels of IL-22 and IL-37 were the highest in both acute and remission phase. Conclusion: The level of IL-22 was positively correlated with the joint effusion under ultrasound in both acute and remission phases. Serum levels of IL-22and IL-37 combined with ultrasonography can improve the diagnostic performance of GA in acute and remission phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]