Sonographic Decreased Echogenicity of Thyroid Parenchyma in Asymptomatic Population: Correlation with Thyroid Function and Thyroid Autoimmune Activity

Ultrasonography is an established method for evaluation of tissue echogenicity in cases of suspected thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease and an effective tool for detection of focal lesions (1-4). On ultrasound (US), decreased echogenicity of thyroid parenchyma is commonly detected; in fact, it has been reported in cases of autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’ disease (2, 5-7). Many studies have correlated sonographic echogenicity of thyroid in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or Graves’s disease with thyroid function test results and thyroid autoimSonographic Decreased Echogenicity of Thyroid Parenchyma in Asymptomatic Population: Correlation with Thyroid Function and Thyroid Autoimmune Activity 무증상 집단에서 갑상선 실질의 초음파 에코 감소: 갑상선 기능 및 갑상선 자가면역 활성도와의 연관성