An evaluation of thyrotoxic autoimmune thyroiditis patients with triplex Doppler ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of blood flow parameters obtained from STA and CCA with Triplex Doppler ultrasonography (TDU) on patients with thyrotoxicosis.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included consecutive 24 patients with thyrotoxicosis and 18 healthy controls. The thyroid gland blood flow parameters were evaluated with TDU.

RESULTS

The thyroid volumes and FT3, TRAb, 4-h and 24-h radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) levels of Group 1 were significantly high compared to those of Group 2. The thyroid volumes and FT3, FT4 and TSH levels of both Group 1 and Group 2 showed a statistically significant difference compared to Group 3. STA-PSV values for Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 were 138 cm/s, 54 cm/s and 37 cm/s, respectively. STA-EDV values for these groups were 60 cm/s, 25 cm/s and 15 cm/s, respectively. PSVR values for these groups were 1.01, 0.45, 0.34 cm/s, respectively. EDVR values for these groups were 1.29, 0.70 and 0.49 cm/s, respectively. In Group 1, STA-PSV, STA-EDV, PSVR and EDVR values were significantly high compared to those of Group 2. RAIU levels showed a significant positive correlation with the STA-PSV, STA-EDV and PSVR.

CONCLUSION

The thyroid gland blood flow parameters may be used in clinical diagnosis of patients with thyrotoxicosis.