| Wesche et al., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, measured thyroid volume by ultrasound in 44 healthy adults in a non-iodine deficient area. They found a relationship between thyroid volume and bodyweight (r = 0.42, p = 0.005) and lean body mass (r = 0.55, p = 0.0001). The same group also reported a comparison between measurement of thyroid volume by ultrasound vs. scintigraphy. From this study they conclude that scintigraphy underestimates thyroid volume by a factor 2 in patients with multinodular goiter. However, in Graves' disease similar values were found. Thyroid volume by scintigraphy was performed using anterior and lateral views, and applying the formula (6)^0.5 x height x width x depth. |
