[Ultrasonographic evaluation of thyroid in patients cured from Hodgkin disease]

Long-term prognosis in patients cured from Hodgkin's disease (HD), diagnosed in childhood has dramatically improved. This is why, early detection and elimination of treatment side-effects has become essential. The study aimed at thyroid morphology evaluation in 46 patients remaining in complete remission more than five years after completion of treatment for HD. Thyroid morphology was assessed by palpation and ultrasonography. Control group consisted of 43 age- and sex-matched healthy people. 17.4% of patients after HD treatment had abnormal thyroid morphology on physical examination (gland enlargement, increased consistency or presence of nodules). Thyroid volume in this group was significantly decreased comparing to control group (p < 0.005). 32.6% of patients had heterogenic echogenicity. Ultrasonography revealed pathological lesions in 21.7% of examined individuals. Single hypoechogenic lesions in 5 patients, multiple hypoechogenic in 4 patients and multiple hypo- and hyperechogenic in 1 existed. High frequency of pathological thyroid lesions in thyroid of patients cured from HD emphasizes the need for systematic ultrasonographic thyroid evaluation.