title: Ultrasonography compared to magnetic resonance imaging in thyroid-associated Graves' ophthalmopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare ultrasonography (US) to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the clinical activity score (CAS) in Graves' ophthalmopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients underwent extraocular muscle thickness measurements by US and MRI, reflectivity by US and signal-intensity ratio by MRI. There were also twelve US control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  US median thicknesses were greater than in controls. Correlation was found between US and MRI in the median thickness of the left eye rectus medial muscle as well as between signal-intensity ratio (SIR) and thickness by US. An inverse correlation was found between reflectivity and SIR in the inferior and lateral rectus. On associating the tests for detecting activity the best results were obtained with CAS plus MRI (sensitivity 75%), and US and MRI (positive predictive value 77% and specificity 80%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAS and US results showed poor correlation with MRI results suggesting that they cannot replace each other but when combined these methods can improve the evaluation of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual de Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. anavlainich@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Ana R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Vlainich
authors.forename: João H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Romaldini
authors.forename: Ana B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Pedro
authors.forename: Chady S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Cicero A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sinisgalli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D049970:Graves Ophthalmopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult