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Sonographic Characteristics and Interval Changes of Subacute Thyroiditis
Author(s) -
Lee Yoo Jin,
Kim Dong Wook
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/ultra.15.09049
Subject(s) - medicine , subacute thyroiditis , thyroiditis , lesion , radiology , pathology , disease
Objectives This study aimed to assess the sonographic characteristics and interval changes of subacute thyroiditis using follow‐up sonography. Methods From January 2008 to December 2014, 85 patients with clinically suspected subacute thyroiditis underwent sonographic examinations by a single radiologist. Subacute thyroiditis was confirmed on the basis of the clinical, sonographic, and cytohistopathologic findings. On the initial and follow‐up sonograms, the individual sonographic findings and interval changes were retrospectively investigated by the same radiologist. According to the sonographic configuration, subacute thyroiditis lesions were categorized as nodular or non‐nodular. The interval changes in the lesions were classified as follows: “disappeared,” “decreased,” “increased,” “eventually smaller,” “eventually larger,” or “no interval change.” Results Subacute thyroiditis was confirmed in 64 of the 85 patients. In these 64 patients, nodular (n = 39) and non‐nodular (n = 35) lesions were found; 10 patients had both nodular and non‐nodular lesions. Of the 64 patients, 41 underwent sonographic follow‐up. In both nodular and non‐nodular lesions, the common interval changes included disappeared, decreased, and eventually smaller patterns. Although the increased pattern was found only in 4 nodular lesions, there was no significant difference in the interval changes between nodular and non‐nodular lesions. On follow‐up sonography, a new lesion was detected in 6 patients. Conclusions The prevalence rate of nodular subacute thyroiditis lesions on sonography was high, and the interval changes in the lesions were variable.