Normal thyroid volume by ultrasonography in healthy children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Biometry

Background:

• Establishing normative data for thyroid gland volume is crucial for pediatric health assessment.
• Ultrasonography is a non-invasive imaging technique widely used for thyroid evaluation.
• Previous studies may lack comprehensive data for the diverse pediatric age range (0-16 years).

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference standards for thyroid gland volume in healthy children aged 0-16 years using ultrasonography.
• To investigate the correlation between thyroid volume and anthropometric parameters (age, height, weight) in this pediatric cohort.

Main Methods:

• Thyroid volumes of 302 healthy children (150 boys, 152 girls) were measured using ultrasonography.
• Measurements included transverse, sagittal, and anteroposterior lengths of thyroid lobes and isthmus.
• Ellipsoid volume formula [V = (pi/6) x x x y x z] was used for volume calculation; Kruskal-Wallis and Student t tests for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation was found between thyroid volume and age, height, and weight.
• Thyroid volumes in children aged 12 years and older were significantly different from those in younger age groups.
• Normative data for thyroid volume were established for the 0-16 year age range.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasonography-derived thyroid volume standards are established for healthy children aged 0-16 years.
• Age, height, and weight are significant determinants of thyroid gland volume in children.
• These findings provide valuable reference ranges for pediatric thyroid assessments.