To investigate the value of share wave elastography (SWE) combined with BRAF^V600E in predicting central lymph nodes metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

This study collected 217 PTC from 217 patients diagnosed as PTC by surgical pathology,all patients are confirmed by conventional ultrasonography, SWE examination, BRAF ^V600E gene detection and central neck dissection for preventive. Taking postoperative pathological results as gold standard, the independent t test was used to compared the differences in SWE between groups with and without central lymph nodes metastasis; the chi-square test was used to compare the difference of BRAF^V600E between the two groups; and to use the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of SWE, BRAF^V600E and their combination in predicting central lymph nodes metastasis of PTC.

The differences of PTC Emax, Emean, Emin between the two groups showed statistically significant (t=4.49, 8.11, 3.23, all P<0.01), and the predictive value of Emean was higher than Emax、Emin. The difference of BRAF^V600E between the two groups showed statistically significant (χ²=16.16, P<0.01). The specificity, accuracy, negative predictive value and positive predictive value of SWE combined with BRAF^V600E were all higher than single SWE and BRAF^V600E with statistical significant (χ²=64.769, 35.406, 22.647, 20.247, all P<0.01).

SWE combined with BRAF^V600E can significantly improve the specificity, accuracy, negative predictive value and positive predictive value in predicting central lymph nodes metastasis of PTC.