Abstract #1406804: Study of Thyroid Parenchymal Vascularity Pattern and its Predictors in Untreated Graves’ Disease

Abstract

Increased thyroid gland vascularity is an important diagnostic finding in case of Graves’ disease. However, the relation of thyroid gland vascularity with thyroid hormones or autoantibody levels with is less clear. Few studies have reported correlation of gland vascularity and thyroid hormones whereas few have found no such association. We aimed to study different patterns of thyroid parenchymal vascularity and its determinants in untreated Graves’ disease patients. A total of 71 treatment naïve Graves’ disease patients were included in the study. Detailed clinical, hormonal and radiological evaluations were done and data were recorded. The thyroid parenchymal vascularity was divided into three patterns (Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3) based on increasing vascularity pattern with Grade 1 being least to Grade 3 being highest as described previously in literature. Comparison and correlation analysis were done using appropriate statistical tools. Our cohort consisted of 52 females and 19 males with a mean age of 34.4±9.4 years. Among all patients, 14.08% patients had Grade1 vascularity pattern (Group A), 47.89% had Grade 2 vascularity pattern (Group B) and rest 38.03% had Grade 3 vascularity pattern (Group C) respectively. No difference was noted with regards to thyroid hormone levels (FT3, FT4 or TSH) or thyroid autoantibody levels (anti-TSH receptor antibodies) between the three subgroups (p–non-significant). Thyroid volumes were significantly higher in patients with higher vascularity pattern with Group C having highest (median volume-23.9 cc) and Group A having lowest (median volume-11.3cc) respectively (p<0.01). Among our Graves’ disease patients, majority had Grade 2 thyroid parenchymal vascularity pattern. No significant difference was noted between the three groups with regards to thyroid hormone levels or anti TSH receptor antibody titres. Thyroid gland volumes were significantly higher in patients having higher gland vascularity pattern.