title: Ultrasound of the thyroid gland in the newborn: normative data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish reference ranges for thyroid length, breadth, depth, and volume in healthy term Scottish infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study of 100 (49 male) neonates. Length, breadth, and depth were measured, and the volume of each lobe was calculated using the formula for a prolate ellipsoid (volume = length x breadth x depth x pi/6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All measurements showed gaussian distribution, with no significant differences between the right and the left lobes. Values (mean (SD) range) were: length (cm), 1.94 (0.24) 0.9-2.5; breadth (cm), 0.88 (0.16) 0.5-1.4; depth (cm), 0.96 (0.17) 0.6-2.0; volume (ml), 0.81 (0.24) 0.3-1.7; combined volume (ml), 1.62 (0.41) 0.7-3.3. Although there was no difference in mean volume between right and left lobes, there was considerable variation (-0.8 to + 0.7 ml) between the two lobes in individual babies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both lobes should be measured to give a combined volume. Our findings provide a reference against which thyroid hypoplasia or goitre can be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. rebjperry@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Hollman
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: M D C
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Donaldson
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012015:Reference Standards; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography