Ultrasonographic assessment of thyroid volume in oldest-old individuals

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between thyroid volume and age, gender, anthropometric characteristics, and echogenicity in oldest-old subjects in an iodine-sufficient area. Subjects and methods: The study included 81 independent elderly individuals aged ≥ 80 years (65 [80.2%] women). We determined these individuals' anthropometric characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and lean body mass, as well as thyroid volume and echogenicity by ultrasonography. Results: We observed that octogenarians and nonagenarians had different profiles of thyroid echogenicity. The volume of the thyroid was smaller in nonagenarians than octogenarians (p = 0.012, r = 0.176), and subjects aged 80-89 years had more often hypoechoic glands than those aged ≥ 90 years (p = 0.01 versus 0.602). Conclusion: The identification of ultrasonographic differences in oldestold individuals will contribute to establishing preclinical markers, such as echogenicity, to identify individuals at risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease. Future prospective studies should identify if 80-89-year-old individuals with hypoechoic glands progress to hypothyroidism, and if the absence of changes in echogenicity (i.e. a normal thyroid parenchyma) would have a positive impact on longevity among nonagenarians. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2017;61(3):269-75.

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Changes in Thyroid Volume In Women During Pregnancy and Lactation

“…The mean thyroid volume was found to be greater in males than females and also in the right lobe compared to the left lobe in both genders [3]. We also found that the thyroid right lobe was larger than the left in our study, but this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).The volume of the thyroid is influenced by age, gender, body mass index (BMI), lean body mass, iodine intake, genetic, geographic region, and environmental factors [3,4].…”

“…The mean thyroid volume was 11.3 ± 0.5mL in another study [10]. In our study, we found that the mean thyroid volume in the control group was 11.95 ± 1.90mL.It is observed that thyroid volume in elderly individuals has decreased by 20.5% [4]. The mean thyroid volume was found to be greater in males than females and also in the right lobe compared to the left lobe in both genders [3].…”

“…The ML dimension, CC dimension, and AP dimension of each lobe can be measured and the volume of each lobe can be calculated by the mean of the elliptical shape volume formula [1,16]. However, Brunn et al applied 0.479 as an optimized conversion factor instead of π/6 [1][2][3][4][5][6]. We also used 0.479 as conversion factor in our study.The results of the measurements made in our study are shown in Table 1 in comparison with the values found in other studies.Sahin et al found that thyroid gland volume reached its maximum level (14.2 ± 7.9ml) in the third trimester and maintained this value for another 3 months after delivery (P < 0.001) [17].…”

“…After delivery, there is a decrease in volume until the twelfth month [3]. It is important to determine the volume and structure of gland in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases by ultrasonography, which is a cheap, harmless and widely used method [3,4]. We aimed to determine ultrasonographic changes in thyroid volume during pregnancy and lactation in our study and to compare with literature data.…”

Stitching of 3D ultrasound datasets for the determination of large thyroid volumes – phantom study part II: mechanically-swept probes

“…The main causes are environmental factors, in particular regional iodine intake, as well as individual factors such as gender, age, genes, and consumption behavior. However, size and shape of the thyroid glands are subject to a wide variability and large multinodular goiters continue to appear relatively frequently in clinical practice [1][2][3][4][5].…”