title: Interpreting Minor Variations in Thyroid Function or Echostructure: Treating Patients, Not Numbers or Images.
abstract: Overt thyroid dysfunction is documented by serum thyrotropin or T4 concentrations are often ordered for nonspecific complaints and will by definition fall outside of the 95% reference range 5% of the time. In addition, most laboratories quote adult ranges, which are not necessarily applicable to young children, and regression toward the mean is common, justifying that the test be repeated before embarking on treatment. On the other hand, neck ultrasounds are frequently performed for diffuse goiter or non-thyroid conditions. Yet, an ultrasound is not required to make a diagnosis of Hashimoto thyroiditis and small cysts and nodules discovered incidentally often lead to unjustified concerns about neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology Service and Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada. Electronic address: guy.van.vliet@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Vliet
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology Service and Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Montreal, 3175 chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec H3T 1C5, Canada.
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deladoëy
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D012016:Reference Values; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013963:Thyroid Hormones
keywords: Children; Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism; Incidental; Nodule; Overt; Thyroid; Ultrasonography