[Critique of goiter epidemiology. I. Goiter size]

Comparison of three methods for demonstration of thyroid enlargement in 92 patients showed that the sensitivity of sonographic volumetrics (93%) and palpation (91%) is superior to radiography (45%). Sonography has the disadvantage of lack of quantitative demonstration of retrosternal goitre. Palpation and chest radiograph had the disadvantage of a frequency of false positive findings in 8.7 and 10.9%.