Quantitative Color Doppler Ultrasonography Measurement of Thyroid Blood Flow in Patients with Graves' Disease

Association of autoimmune thyroid disease with type 1 diabetes mellitus and its ultrasonic diagnosis and management

As a common hyperglycemic disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a complicated disorder that requires a lifelong insulin supply due to the immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells. Although it is an organ-specific autoimmune disorder, T1DM is often associated with multiple other autoimmune disorders. The most prevalent concomitant autoimmune disorder occurring in T1DM is autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), which mainly exhibits two extremes of phenotypes: hyperthyroidism [Graves' disease (GD)] and hypo-thyroidism [Hashimoto's thyroiditis, (HT)]. However, the presence of comorbid AITD may negatively affect metabolic management in T1DM patients and thereby may increase the risk for potential diabetes-related complications. Thus, routine screening of thyroid function has been recommended when T1DM is diagnosed. Here, first, we summarize current knowledge regarding the etiology and pathogenesis mechanisms of both diseases. Subsequently, an updated review of the association between T1DM and AITD is offered. Finally, we provide a relatively detailed review focusing on the application of thyroid ultrasonography in diagnosing and managing HT and GD, suggesting its critical role in the timely and accurate diagnosis of AITD in T1DM.

Analysis of the Application Value of Ultrasound Three-Dimensional Speckle Tracking Technology Combined with Thyroid Autoantibodies and Hormones in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Graves' Disease

Objective

The aim of the study is to evaluate the application value of three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) and combined detection of thyroid autoantibodies and hormones in the diagnosis and treatment of Graves' disease.

Methods

A total of 60 patients with Graves' disease enrolled in our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were included in the experimental group, and 60 healthy patients after a physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. No intervention was performed on the control group, and the experimental group received conventional Graves' disease treatment. The levels of thyroid autoantibodies and hormones in the two groups before and after the treatment were measured, and the 3D-STI was performed to compare the 3D-STI strain parameters of the research objects.

Results

A significantly higher level of thyroid autoantibodies in the experimental group than that in the control group before and after the treatment was found (P < 0.001), with a remarkable decline observed after the treatment (P < 0.001). The positive rate of thyroid autoantibodies in the experimental group before the treatment was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After the treatment, the positive rate of TRAb and TPOAb was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05), and the positive rate of TPOAb was higher than before the treatment. The two groups showed no significant difference in the positive rate of TGAb (P > 0.05). Significant differences were observed in the thyroid hormone levels between the two groups and also between before and after the treatment (P < 0.001). The experimental group garnered significantly higher 3D-STI strain parameters than the control group before the treatment (P < 0.05); after the treatment, the hyperthyroidism of the patients was relieved with a decreased 3D-STI value, but it was still notably higher than the control group (P < 0.05). Remarkably higher positive rates of combined detection before and after the treatment in the experimental group than those in the control group were obtained (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The combined detection of 3D-STI and thyroid autoantibodies and hormones ensures a better detection rate of Graves' disease and monitors the treatment effect of patients in real time, which provides a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment and merits clinical promotion and application.

Imaging "Thyroiditis": A Primer for Radiologists

A variety of inflammatory disorders, generically classified as "thyroiditis," can affect the thyroid gland diffusely, generating distinctive radiographic patterns. While a precise diagnosis can seldom be made based on sonographic appearance alone, interpreting these patterns in the correct clinical and biochemical context will help support the most appropriate diagnosis. We believe that the generic term "thyroiditis" is often not helpful and often may be incorrect. Therefore, it is important for radiologists to understand the sonographic and functional correlations to provide the most appropriate differential diagnosis in their reports. This brief review is designed to provide information and guidance for radiologists when dealing with various thyroid disorders which cause diffuse changes in the thyroid and underline the pitfalls most often encountered in clinical practice.