Abstract:

Objective: To discuss the changes of blood flow and blood vessels of the patients with hyperthyroidism(Graves disease),and to clarify the value of three-dimensional color Doppler ultrasound in quantitative diagnosis of blood flow in the thyroid gland of the patients with Graves disease. Methods: A total of 55 cases of Graves disease (case group)and 38 cases of healthy volunteers (control group)were selected and all the subjects were examined with three-dimensional ultrasound. QLAB software was used to rebuild the storage images with three-dimensional for calculating vascular index (VI),flow index (FI),and vascular flow index (VFI).Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between VI,FI,VFI in thyroid and the thyroid function indexes three free iodine thyroid original amino acid(FT₃),serum free thyroxine(FT₄),thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH)and the highest value of 24-hour iodine absorption rate of the patients in case group. Results: The differences of VI,FI,and VFI on the corresponding part of both sides of thyroid lobe of the patients in case group had no statistical significance (P>0.05);the differences of VI,FI,and VFI on the corresponding part of same side of thyroid lobe of the patients in case group had no statistical significance (P>0.05);the VI,FI,and VFI on the corresponding part of same side of thyroid lobe of the patients in case group were higher than those in control group(P<0.01);the VI(r= 0.65,P<0.01),FI(r=0.34,P<0.05),and VFI (r=0.65,P<0.01)in the left lobe of thyroid of the patients in case group were positively related with FT₃;the VI,FI,and VFI in the left lobe of thyroid of the patients in case group were positively related with FT₄(r=0.45,r=0.47,r=0.46,P<0.05);the VI and VFI in the left lobe of thyroid of the patients in case group were negatively related with TSH(r=-0.51,r=-0.54,P<0.05);the FI in the left lobe of thyroid of the patients in case group had no relationship with TSH(r=0.31,P> 0.05); the VI,FI,and VFI in the left lobe of thyroid of the patients in case group were positively related with the highest value of 24-hour iodine absorption rate (r=0.67,r=0.68,r=0.69,P<0.05). Conclusion: The three-dimensional color Doppler ultrasound can intuitively,stereoscopically and quantitatively evaluate the blood flow changes in thyroid of the Graves disease patients.The blood flow in thyroid of the Graves disease patients appears diffusivity increasing.

Key words: three-dimensional ultrasound, Graves disease, vascular ization index, blood flow index