Clinical Value of Histogram Analysis Using Gray-Scale Ultrasound Images in Thyroiditis

ABSTRACT

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the histogram analysis (HA) in terms of the differential diagnosis of thyroiditis.

Material and Methods: A total of 137 cases with a definitive diagnosis of thyroiditis confirmed with clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated in the study. Out of these, 23 cases were diagnosed as Graves’ disease (GD), 94 as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), and 20 as subacute thyroiditis (SAT), and 34 healthy volunteers were included in this study as a control group. The thyroid and sternocleidomastoid muscle’s (SCM) HA and thyroid-to-SCM echogenicity ratio (TRSCMR) were evaluated.

Results: The HA values of thyroid parenchyma and SCM (mean±SD) of patients with GD, HT, SAT, and CG were 83.49±27.91, 71.25±20.93, 70.83±13.94, and 80. 95±20.88, and 52.74±24.11, 58.17±18.67, 67.20±14.71, and 69.32±18.94, respectively. The HAs of thyroid parenchyma of GD, HT, and SAT were not statistically significant. The TRSCMR (mean±SD) of patients with GD, HT, SAT, and CG were 1.85±0.86, 1.29±0.41, 1.09±0.26, and 1.25±0.5, respectively. Compared with the control group, the GD TRSCMRs were higher than the CG TRSCMRs (p<0.0001). Compared with SAT, GD TRSCMRs were higher than SAT TRSCMRs, and these results were statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that HA may help in differentiating SAT from GD that show similar appearance on routine ultrasonography.