Abstract
Purpose
Materials and Methods
Results
Figures and Tables
Fig. 1
Ultrasound (US) of group A and group B.
![jksr-75-177-g001](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-g001.jpg)
Fig. 2
Ultrasound (US) of group Ho and group He.
![jksr-75-177-g002](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-g002.jpg)
Fig. 3
Ultrasound (US) of group 1, 2, and 3.
![jksr-75-177-g003](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-g003.jpg)
Table 1
Epidemiologic and Sonographic Characteristics of 543 Patients with Decreased Echogenicity
![jksr-75-177-i001](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-i001.jpg)
Group A: patients with lower echogenicity than that of submandibular gland, but higher than that of strap muscle, Group B: patients with isoechoic or lower echogenicity than that of strap muscle, Group Ho: patients with homogeneous decreased echogenicity of thyroid, Group He: patients with multiple scattered small hypoechoic nodules in whole thyroid parenchyma, Group 1: decreased size, Group 2: normal size, Group 3: increased size
Table 2
Thyroid Function and Autoimmune Activity of 543 Patients with Decreased Echogenicity
![jksr-75-177-i002](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-i002.jpg)
Reference value: T3 (0.89–1.68 ng/mL), free T4 (0.88–1.44 ng/dL), TSH (0.35–5.50 uIU/mL), TgAb (~40 IU/mL), TPOAb (~35 IU/mL), TSH-rAb (~1.75 IU/L).
fT4 = free-thyroxine, TgAb = anti-thyroglobulin antibody, TPOAb = thyroid peroxidase antibody, TSH = thyrotropin, TSH-rAb = anti-TSH receptor antibody, T3 = triiodiothyronyne
Table 3
Comparison of Thyroid Function Test or Thyroid Autoantibodies between Mildly Decreased Echogenicity (Group A) and Markedly Decreased Echogenicity (Group B)
![jksr-75-177-i003](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-i003.jpg)
Group A: patients with lower echogenicity than that of submandibular gland, but higher than that of strap muscle, Group B: patients with isoechoic or lower echogenicity than that of strap muscle.
*Pearson chi-square test was used.
fT4 = free-thyroxine, TgAb = anti-thyroglobulin antibody, TPOAb = thyroid peroxidase antibody, TSH = thyrotropin, TSH-rAb = anti-TSH receptor antibody, T3 = triiodiothyronyne
Table 4
Comparison of Thyroid Function Test or Thyroid Autoantibodies between Homogeneous (Group Ho) and Heterogeneous Group (Group He)
![jksr-75-177-i004](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-i004.jpg)
Group Ho: patients with homogeneous decreased echogenicity of thyroid, Group He: patients with multiple scattered small hypoechoic nodules in whole thyroid parenchyma.
*Pearson chi-square test was used.
fT4 = free-thyroxine, TgAb = anti-thyroglobulin antibody, TPOAb = thyroid peroxidase antibody, TSH = thyrotropin, TSH-rAb = anti-TSH receptor antibody, T3 = triiodiothyronyne
Table 5
Comparison of Thyroid Function Test or Thyroid Autoantibodies among Decreased (Group 1), Normal (Group 2), and Increased Size of Thyroid (Group 3)
![jksr-75-177-i005](/upload/SynapseData/ArticleImage/2016jksr/jksr-75-177-i005.jpg)