Sonographic appearance of focal thyroiditis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to report the sonographic appearance of focal thyroid nodules that prove to be lymphocytic thyroiditis on fine-needle aspiration.


CONCLUSIONS
In a patient population undergoing sonography for palpable nodular disease without known thyroiditis, focal nodules of thyroiditis had a wide variety of appearances. They most commonly appeared as solid hyperechoic nodules with ill-defined margins. However, the echogenicity was variable, and calcification and cystic-appearing regions were also noted. The vascularity of these nodules as assessed with color Doppler and power Doppler sonography also varied widely. Biopsy of these lesions is still necessary because there are no sonographic features that can reliably diagnose these lesions as thyroiditis and differentiate them from other lesions.
Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
J E
JE
Langer
A
A
Khan
H L
HL
Nisenbaum
Z W
ZW
Baloch
S C
SC
Horii
B G
BG
Coleman
S J
SJ
Mandel
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color