[High-resolution ultrasound of the thyroid in patients with Graves' disease]

The thyroid glands in 53 patients with Graves' disease were scanned with 10-MHz high-resolution ultrasound. Homogeneous echo pattern was noted in 21 patients (39.6%), and heterogeneous echo pattern was noted in 31 patients (60.4%). Each mean value of the serum triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (Free T4) in patients with heterogeneous-echo thyroid was noted higher than that of the group with homogeneous-echo thyroid. (p less than 0.05) However, between the two groups, there is no significant difference in mean age and mean duration of treatment with antithyroid drugs. The heterogeneous echo pattern is strongly suggested to be correlated with the severity of hyperthyroidism.