Correlation Between Computed Tomography Density and Functional Status of the Thyroid Gland
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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Author Spotlight: Integrating Ultrasound Imaging with Biochemical Markers for Thyroid Disease Diagnosis
Published on: February 9, 2024
Vivek Pandey1, Martin Reis, Yihua Zhou
1From the Department of Radiology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO.
Objective:
This study aimed to determine the correlation between thyroid computed tomography (CT) density and thyroid functional status.
Methods:
Thyroid CT densities were determined in patients who had a noncontrast CT of the cervical spine and a recent thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measurement in a cohort of 157 patients. Thyroid CT densities of patients with abnormally low TSH and high TSH were compared to those with normal TSH. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation between TSH levels and CT densities.
Results:
Both low and high TSH groups demonstrated significantly decreased thyroid CT densities (P < 0.0001). There was significant positive correlation between thyroid CT densities and TSH levels (r = 0.40; P < 0.0001) for subjects with a TSH level of less than 3.0 μIU/mL and a significant negative correlation (r = -0.66; P < 0.0001) for those with a TSH level of greater than or equal to 3.0 μIU/mL.
Conclusions:
There is a significant correlation between thyroid CT density and serum TSH levels. A low thyroid CT density indicates abnormal thyroid function.
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