[Clinical application of ultrasonography to the autoimmune thyroid disease].

US images can detects exactly the size of thyroid gland. B-mode images with high resolution USG shows fine structure of thyroid gland. Furthermore, recent progress of ultrasonography can clarify the vascularity of thyroid gland using 3D-images. The thyroid gland of Graves' disease shows diffuse and remarkably increased vascularity. On the other hand, that of destructive thyroiditis reveals hypovascularity in hypoechoic lesion. There is the possibility that ultrasonographic images is useful tool to clarify the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease.