Department of Internal Medicine I, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. pervej01@glostruphosp.kbhamt.dk
Patients with overt hypothyroidism show decreased echogenicity of the thyroid at ultrasonography (US). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between echogenicity of the thyroid/irregular echo pattern, and thyroid function in the general population, i.e. subjects without overt thyroid disease.
A cross-sectional investigation of 4649 randomly selected adult subjects.
Blood samples were analysed for serum TSH, thyroid hormones and thyroid autoantibodies. US of the thyroid was performed.
Participants with decreased echogenicity (n=379) had a higher mean TSH (1.65 mU/l) compared with subjects with normal echogenicity (1.21 mU/l, P