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Shear wave velocity of the healthy thyroid gland in children with acoustic radiation force impulse elastography

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Abstract

Purpose

Acoustic radiation force impulse imaging is a kind of shear wave elastography that can be used in children for differentiating thyroid pathologies. Possible changes in the healthy thyroid gland in children may create difficulties in the use of shear wave velocities (SWV) in thyroid pathologies. The aim of this study was to define the normal values of SWV for the healthy thyroid gland in children, elucidate the correlation of the SWV values with potential influencing factors, and evaluate intra-operator reproducibility of the SWV.

Methods

Between January 2015 and December 2015, a total of 145 healthy children (81 girls, 64 boys; mean age, 10.5 ± 3.14 years; range 6–17 years) were enrolled in the study. The SWV and volume of the thyroid gland were determined.

Results

The mean shear wave velocity of the thyroid gland was 1.22 ± 0.20 m/s. There was no correlation between age and the mean SWV of the thyroid gland (Spearman Rho = 0.049, p = 0.556). There was also no correlation between the thyroid gland volume or BSA and the mean SWV. The only correlation detected was between BSA and total thyroid gland volume (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In the present study, the SWV of the healthy thyroid gland in children was determined. There was no correlation between the SWV of the thyroid gland and age, BSA, or thyroid gland volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55270, Atakum, Samsun, Turkey

    Meltem Ceyhan Bilgici, Dilek Sağlam, Semra Delibalta, Serap Yücel & Muzaffer Elmalı

  2. Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55270, Atakum, Samsun, Turkey

    Leman Tomak

Authors
  1. Meltem Ceyhan Bilgici
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  2. Dilek Sağlam
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  3. Semra Delibalta
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  4. Serap Yücel
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  5. Leman Tomak
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  6. Muzaffer Elmalı
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dilek Sağlam.

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Ethical statements

The present study was approved by the ethical committee of the hospital.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Ceyhan Bilgici, M., Sağlam, D., Delibalta, S. et al. Shear wave velocity of the healthy thyroid gland in children with acoustic radiation force impulse elastography. J Med Ultrasonics 45, 75–80 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-017-0788-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-017-0788-3

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