Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 79, 600-603, Copyright © 1994 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Thyroid volume measurement by ultrasound in children as a tool for the assessment of mild iodine deficiency

P Vitti, E Martino, F Aghini-Lombardi, T Rago, L Antonangeli, D Maccherini, P Nanni, A Loviselli, A Balestrieri and G Araneo
Istituto di Endocrinologia, University of Pisa, Italy.

Thyroid ultrasound was used to measure thyroid volume in children and compared with thyroid palpation for the assessment of the prevalence of goiter in an area of mild iodine deficiency. School children, 6-14 yr old, were from control areas (n = 2693; urinary iodine excretion, 110 micrograms/L) or from an area of mild iodine deficiency (IDA; n = 278; urinary iodine excretion, 72 micrograms/L). Thyroid volume determined by ultrasound in control children increased with age (r = 0.62; P < 0.0001) and was significantly correlated with height (r = 0.51; P < 0.0001) and body weight (r = 0.126; P < 0.0001). Both median and mean thyroid volumes were greater in IDA children than in controls. The prevalence of goiter determined by ultrasound was 68 of 268 children (25.3%) in IDA and 105 of 2693 children (3.9%) in the control area (chi 2 = 204; P < 0.0001). Thyroid enlargement, as assessed by palpation, was found in 59 of 268 children (22%) in the IDA group and in 165 of 2693 (6.1%) subjects in the control area (chi 2 = 88; P < 0.0001). Some subjects of the IDA who were judged goitrous by palpation (11.2%) had a normal thyroid volume at ultrasound, and 12.7% of subjects with an abnormal thyroid volume at ultrasound were judged nongoitrous by palpation. In conclusion, 1) thyroid volume in children, as assessed by ultrasound, increases with age and is closely related to the parameters of body growth; 2) in every age group, thyroid ultrasound shows greater thyroid volume in an IDA group than in controls; and 3) a discrepancy between palpation and ultrasound is found in 23.9% of children living in an IDA, confirming that palpation is relatively inaccurate for assessing the prevalence of goiter in mild iodine deficiency. These data indicate that thyroid volume measurement by ultrasound in children provides a useful tool for the assessment of goiter in mild iodine deficiency.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. T. Turgut, Z. U. Coskun, E. Ergun, P. Kosar, P. O. Geyik, S. Gorar, and U. Kosar Interobserver and Intraobserver Variability in the Sonographic Measurement of the Size of the Thyroid Gland by Extended Field-of-View Sonography Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, May 1, 2008; 24(3): 147 - 154. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A.C. Ugwu, B.E. Udo, C.O. Njoku, and A.N. Eteudo Roles of Sonographers in the Management of Diabetes A Proposed Framework Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, March 1, 2008; 24(2): 84 - 87. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Checchi, A. Montanaro, L. Pasqui, C. Ciuoli, V. De Palo, M. C. Chiappetta, and F. Pacini L-Thyroxine Requirement in Patients with Autoimmune Hypothyroidism and Parietal Cell Antibodies J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 2008; 93(2): 465 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. E. Kempers, A. S. P. van Trotsenburg, R. R. van Rijn, A. M. J. B. Smets, B. J. Smit, J. J. M. de Vijlder, and T. Vulsma Loss of Integrity of Thyroid Morphology and Function in Children Born to Mothers with Inadequately Treated Graves' Disease J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2007; 92(8): 2984 - 2991. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. C. Ugwu, K. N. Ovuoba, B. Udo, I. C. Nwobi, and A. O. Egwu Sonographic Assessment of Gallbladder Motility in the Ibo Population of Nigeria: A Feasibility Study Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, January 1, 2007; 23(1): 4 - 10. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Akinci, K. Sarac, S. Gungor, I. Mungan, and O. Aydin Brain MR Spectroscopy Findings in Neonates with Hypothyroidism Born to Mothers Living in Iodine-Deficient Areas AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., November 1, 2006; 27(10): 2083 - 2087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Sheikh, S. A. R. Doi, T. Sinan, and K. A. S. Al-Shoumer Technical Observations on the Assessment of Thyroid Volume by Palpation and Ultrasonography J. Ultrasound Med., February 1, 2004; 23(2): 261 - 266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Pacini, E. Molinaro, M. G. Castagna, F. Lippi, C. Ceccarelli, L. Agate, R. Elisei, and A. Pinchera Ablation of Thyroid Residues with 30 mCi 131I: A Comparison in Thyroid Cancer Patients Prepared with Recombinant Human TSH or Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2002; 87(9): 4063 - 4068. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Zimmermann, P. Adou, T. Torresani, C. Zeder, and R. Hurrell Persistence of goiter despite oral iodine supplementation in goitrous children with iron deficiency anemia in Cote d'Ivoire1 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, January 1, 2000; 71(1): 88 - 93. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Bogazzi, L. Bartalena, S. Brogioni, G. Scarcello, A. Burelli, A. Campomori, L. Manetti, G. Rossi, A. Pinchera, and E. Martino Comparison of Radioiodine with Radioiodine plus Lithium in the Treatment of Graves' Hyperthyroidism J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 1999; 84(2): 499 - 503. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. Aghini-Lombardi, L. Antonangeli, E. Martino, P. Vitti, D. Maccherini, F. Leoli, T. Rago, L. Grasso, R. Valeriano, A. Balestrieri, et al. The Spectrum of Thyroid Disorders in an Iodine-Deficient Community: The Pescopagano Survey J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 1999; 84(2): 561 - 566. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. A. Rivkees, C. Sklar, and M. Freemark The Management of Graves' Disease in Children, with Special Emphasis on Radioiodine Treatment J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 1998; 83(11): 3767 - 3776. [Full Text]

				F. Aghini-Lombardi, L. Antonangeli, A. Pinchera, F. Leoli, T. Rago, A. M. Bartolomei, and P. Vitti Effect of Iodized Salt on Thyroid Volume of Children Living in an Area Previously Characterized by Moderate Iodine Deficiency J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 1997; 82(4): 1136 - 1139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]