[Goiter epidemiology. IV. Thyroid volumes in German and Swedish school children]

Thyroid volume was determined by ultrasound in 13-year-old school-children (n = 2244) from 23 places in the Federal Republic of Germany and in 224 school-children from Stockholm (where there is adequate iodine supply). The results show that thyroid size gradually increases from north to south. There are clear endemic nests in the central region of the Federal Republic of Germany. Mean thyroid volume in Swedish children was 4.2 ml, in German children 9.3 ml. More than one third of German children have a larger thyroid volume than the largest volume measured in Swedish children. The results support the need for iodine-salt prophylaxis for the entire German Federal Republic.