Reference values for Doppler ultrasound parameters of the thyroid in a healthy iodine-non-deficient population

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe normal Doppler parameter values in the thyroid arteries in an iodine-replete region. 165 individuals were randomly selected in a community located in the south-east of Brazil. We obtained a clinical history on each subject and determined serum thyrotropin, antiperoxidase antibodies, thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) and thyroid volumes through ultrasound. Subjects with thyroid disease and those under 20 years of age were excluded. 84 representative subjects (30 men and 54 women) remained. The systolic peak velocity (SPV), resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) in the superior and inferior thyroid arteries were measured using a 5-12 MHz linear probe. Except for the RI, the distribution of all Doppler parameters was non-gaussian. The median and mean references for the SPV, RI and PI were 24.80 cm s(-1) and 25.85 cm s(-1), 0.60 and 0.62, and 0.98 and 1.04, respectively, for superior thyroid arteries; these reference values for the inferior thyroid artery were 20.92 cm s(-1) and 21.50 cm s(-1), 0.57 and 0.57, and 0.84 and 0.88, respectively (p<0.001). Women had greater SPV values (p<0.01). We have determined reference thyroid Doppler parameter values in our iodine-non-deficient population and prepared tables by sex and age.

Prognostic value of vascularity index for the diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease

“…The possibility of increased VI (%) values in such subjects being an early sign of autoimmune thyroiditis remains hypothetical and needs to be addressed in a formal comparative prospective study. For our 34 healthy controls we found an overall mean VI equal to 3.55 %, similar to 3.67% found by Macedo TAA et al in 84 healthy subjects (22). Increased vascularity in thyroid sonography could be diagnosed in patients with TSH secreting pituitary adenomas or resistance to thyroid hormone (23), acromegaly (24), and pregnancy (25); however patients with such diseases were initially excluded and no related signs, symptoms or typical laboratory findings were detected in any of our healthy controls or any of the patients at the start or during the study.…”

Discordance Between Cytologic Results in Multiple Thyroid Nodules Within the Same Patient

“…For instance, there are significant differences in the degree of arterial flow between the superior and inferior thyroid arteries and between men and women. 27 In our study, we did not observe a difference in discordance between pairs of nodules involving lower pole only (45.5% discordance rate) and pairs of nodules between lower and nonlower poles (37.8%). Likewise, there were no significant differences in the rates of discordance based on sex.…”

Superb Microvascular Imaging in the Evaluation of Pediatric Graves Disease and Hashimoto Thyroiditis

“…Uchida et al used the superior thyroid artery for measurements and reported a higher PSV in GD (78.48 ± 36.28 cm/s) compared to destructive thyrotoxicosis (52.39 ± 28.54 cm/s). For the inferior thyroid artery, a cutoff value of 40 cm/s for the PSV achieved differentiation of GD from thyroiditis with optimal diagnostic accuracy . A point to consider when analyzing cutoff values is to locate the vessel to be measured, as values differ among intrathyroidal vessels and inferior and superior thyroid arteries.…”