title: High incidence of normal thyroid gland volume in patients with Graves' disease.
abstract: Thyroid function and thyroid gland volume, ultrasonically determined, were investigated in ninety consecutive untreated patients with Graves' disease. Twenty-eight patients (31%) had no clinically detectable goitre. Median thyroid gland volume was 31 ml (range 12-99 ml). Twenty-one patients (23%) had a normal calculated thyroid volume. Thyroid volume did not correlate with any measure of thyroid function. The lack of a goitre in a large portion of patients with Graves' disease could be responsible for delayed diagnosis and subsequent treatment of these patients.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography