Relationship between the sonographic appearance of the thyroid and the clinical course and autoimmune activity of Graves' disease.

摘要: Purpose. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between thyroid echogenicity and clinical course/immunologic parameters in Graves' disease. Methods. Two hundred six outpatients with disease (31 men, 175 women; 46 ± 23 years old) were studied sonography color Doppler sonography. Forty-five patients treated for active hyperthyroidism, 161 euthyroid (85 immediately before withdrawal antithyroid drug at maintenance doses, 76 stable remission after treatment). Free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, thyrotropin, disease-specific autoantibodies (antithyrotropin-releasing hormone antibody) determined all patients. Results. The ultrasound images classified on basis homogeneous, finely unhomogeneous, or micronodular appearance. The proportion unhomogeneous plus patterns greater hyperthyroid (77.8%) than (62.1%). In latter group, pattern distribution significantly different who antibody positive relative negative (p < 0.01). subgroup, differed according thyrotropin levels .01). There a correlation echopattern as vascularization variables progressively increased transition from homogeneous (most evident echotexture changes). Conclusions. A sonographic-based classification can distinguish subgroups courses activity. This procedure is easy perform correlates well findings. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound33:381–385,