Relation between quantitative description of ultrasonographic image and clinical and laboratory findings in lymphocytic thyroiditis.
OBJECTIVE
Relations between measurable properties of B-mode ultrasound images of thyroid gland and clinical and laboratory findings in patients with chronic inflammation of thyroid gland were studied.


METHODS
Data from 65 patients with lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT) and 38 control subjects were analysed. Raw values of individual B-mode image pixels and standard co-occurrence second-order texture features were selected as quantitative image features. Thyroid antibodies, thyrotropin level, thyroxine replacement therapy, and body mass index were used as clinical variables.


RESULTS
In the LT group, significant differences (t-tests, p<0.05) in image features were found for body mass indices (BMI) under and over 25 kg.m(-2), for thyroxine replacement therapy, and for the presence and absence of thyroid antibodies. Forward stepwise multiple regression was performed for the clinical or laboratory values as dependent variables and image features as independent variables. The following correlations were found: 1. between BMI and four image features in the normal group; 2. between the dose of thyroxine replacement therapy and two of image features in the LT group; and 3. for the level of thyroid antibodies in the LT group: five image features have correlated with the level of anti-thyroglobulin and three image features with level of anti-thyroperoxidase.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest the possibility of using quantitative indicators of ultrasound image of thyroid gland as predictors of the presence or absence of thyroid antibodies in patient's blood or as an auxiliary tool for dose recommendation of thyroxine replacement therapy.
3rd Department of Medicine, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University Prague, 128 08 Praha 2, Czech Republic. smutek@cesnet.cz
Daniel
D
Smutek
Radim
R
Sara
Petr
P
Sucharda
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001323:Autoantibodies; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine