Comparison of Thyroid Elastography Values in Healthy Individuals in the First Six Decades

Following the advent of ultrasound elastography, the thyroid gland has been the subject of extensive research. Many studies have been conducted on diseases associated with the thyroid gland; however, relatively few studies have examined the elastography of normal thyroid tissue. This study aimed to calculate and compare thyroid elastography values in healthy individuals of all ages.

In this study, the thyroid tissue and laboratory data of 687 volunteers were evaluated. The study population comprised 357 healthy individuals with normal ultrasound images and laboratory values. These individuals were divided into decades. Six groups were formed. The measurements included only thyroid tissue to prevent the formation of artifacts. The elastography evaluation was performed separately for the right lobe and left lobe, and the mean values were calculated. The data from each group were then compared with the data from the other groups via the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

The mean strain index, calculated without the use of age-related discrimination, was 1.05 ± 0.56 for the right lobe, 1.00 ± 0.41 for the left lobe, and 1.02 ± 0.39 for both lobes. The mean values for each decade were subsequently calculated, and the data of the groups were compared. The investigation revealed no statistically significant differences between the groups.

Consequently, there was no substantial alteration in thyroid stiffness with advancing age. Therefore, it was concluded that age could be ignored when groups are created in future studies.