Mean Peak Systolic Velocity of the Superior Thyroid Artery is Correlated with Radioactive Iodine Uptake in Untreated Thyrotoxicosis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between mean superior thyroid artery peak systolic velocity (STA—PSV) and radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) in Chinese patients with untreated thyrotoxicosis, using retrospectively and prospectively collected data. METHODS: Patients with untreated thyrotoxicosis ( n = 220) and euthyroid control subjects ( n = 30) underwent thyroid function, thyroid autoantibody and thyroid ultrasonography tests. Mean STA—PSV was measured by ultrasonography. RAIU tests identified 168 patients with Graves' disease and 52 with destructive thyroiditis. Linear correlation of mean STA—PSV with 3-h and 24-h RAIU, and sensitivity, specificity and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for mean STA—PSV in the differential diagnosis of Graves' disease and destructive thyroiditis were calculated. RESULTS: Mean STA—PSV was significantly higher in Graves' disease than in destructive thyroiditis. Mean STA—PSV correlated positively and significantly with 3-h and 24-h RAIU. Area under the ROC curve of mean STA—PSV for the differential diagnosis of Graves' disease and destructive thyroiditis was 0.825 (optimum cut-off value of mean STA—PSV, 45.25 cm/s; sensitivity, 80.4%; specificity, 81.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of mean STA—PSV by ultrasonography agrees with RAIU and is useful for the differential diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis in Chinese patients.