Topic: ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND EARLY SIGNS OF THYROID DYSFUNCTION Title: The association between hypoechogenicity or irregular echo pattern at thyroid ultrasonography and thyroid function in the general population

Results: Participants with decreased echogenicity (n=379) had a higher mean serum TSH (1.65 mU/L) compared with subjects with normal echogenicity (1.21 mU/L; P<0.0001). The association was stronger in subjects with markedly decreased echogenicity (4.20 mU/L; P<0.0001). A similar association was seen when the subjects were divided into subgroups according to the level of TSH: more subjects with high levels of TSH had decreased echogenicity (P<0.0001). Likewise, more subjects with high levels of TSH had an irregular echo pattern (P<0.0001). Subjects with decreased echogenicity had a higher risk of having thyroid autoantibodies than subjects without decreased echogenicity (P<0.0001) and this association was stronger when echogenicity was markedly decreased.