SAT468 Assessment of Peak Systolic Velocity of Various Thyroid Arteries

Abstract

Abstract Disclosure: K. Raju: None. K. Ibrahim: None. M. Morkos: None. Objective: Peak systolic velocity (PSV) assessment is a useful bedside tool in the evaluation of patients presenting with thyrotoxicosis. Graves’ disease is characterized by increased PSV values, and it was previously reported that inferior arteries had higher PSV as compared to the superior arteries. We aimed to assess the peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the superior and inferior thyroid arteries bilaterally in patients with Graves’ disease and determine the arteries with the highest values. Research and Design Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients diagnosed with Graves’ disease at an academic outpatient endocrinology clinic from August 2019 to November 2022. The peak systolic velocities were measured using spectral Doppler ultrasound at the superior and inferior thyroid arteries bilaterally. Descriptive statistics, Chi square, and t-test were utilized to describe and compare data. Results: We identified 58 patients who presented for initial assessment of Graves’ disease, 48 (82.8%) were newly diagnosed and presented for initial assessment, 45 (77.6%) were female, 36 (62.1%) Caucasian, and 18 (31.0%) African American. Mean age (± standard deviation) 44.6 ± 13.9 years, TSH 0.27 ± 0.85 (reference range [ref] 0.4 - 4.2), free T4 2.2 ± 1.6 (ref 0.6 - 1.5), and total T3 242.9 ± 169.9 (ref 80 - 179). The mean PSV at the right inferior artery (RIA; n=43) 40.2 ± 18.3 cm/sec, right superior artery (RSA; n=37) 40.0 ± 24.5 cm/sec, left inferior artery (LIA; n=45) 38.2 ± 15.1 cm/sec, and left superior artery (LSA: n=33) 35.1 ± 17.2 cm/sec (P=0.16). The highest PSV was in the LIA in 32.8% of patients, followed by RSA (22.4%), RIA (20.7%), and LSA (15.5%). There was no statistically significant difference between right versus left or superior versus inferior arteries (P=0.17). Seven patients (12.1%) had elevated PSV in superior thyroid arteries while having normal values in the inferior thyroid arteries. Conclusion: PSV assessment of the four thyroid arteries in patients with Graves’ disease did not reveal a consistent pattern. Assessment of the superior and inferior thyroid arteries bilaterally is recommended to avoid missing the artery with the highest PSV. Presentation Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023