Thyroid gland volume in infants, children and adults from Sharkia governorate: Ultrasonographic study

ABSTRACT

Thyroid ultrasonography has proven a useful and practical method for the assessment of thyroid size.Thyroid ultrasonography were carried out first to determine the standard thyroid volume in normal children and adolescents.Second to establish a standard growth curve of thyroid volume with respect to age, sex, height and weight. We effected sonographic examination of 220 patients [110 females and 110 males] from Sharkia governorate aged between 1 day and 18 years and body weight from 2.0 kg to 90.0 kg. In this study the volume of thyroid glands in newborn is 0.8 ml +/- 0.21 ml. Mean thyroid volume was found 5.5 ml +/- 0.61 ml in 6-8 years old, while it was 17.5 ml +/- 2.35 ml in 14-16 years old male and 15.3 ml +/- 2.51 in 14-16 years old female. The right lobe was larger than the left one in all age groups. Thyroid volume determined by ultrasound in control children increased with age up and was correlated with height and body weight