The clinical and predictive value of 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic patterns in a clinical Chinese cohort with autoimmune encephalitis.

AIMS: To investigate the diagnostic and predictive role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with autoimmune encephalitis (AE) as a whole group. METHODS: Thrty-five patients (20 females and 15 males) with AE were recruited. A voxel-to-voxel semi-quantitative analysis based on SPM12 was used to analyze 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging data compared to healthy controls. Further comparison was made in different prognostic groups categorized by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: In total, 24 patients (68.6%) were tested positive neuronal antibodies in serum and/or CSF. Psychiatric symptoms and seizure attacks were major clinical symptoms. In the acute stage, 13 patients (37.1%) demonstrated abnormal brain MRI results, while 33 (94.3%) presented abnormal metabolism patterns. 18F-FDG PET/CT was more sensitive than MRI (p < 0.05). Patients with AE mainly presented mixed metabolism patterns compared to the matched controls, demonstrating hypermetabolism mainly in the cerebellum, BG, MTL, brainstem, insula, middle frontal gyrus, and relatively hypometabolism in the frontal cortex, occipital cortex, temporal gyrus, right parietal gyrus, left cingulate gyrus (p < 0.05, FWE corrected). After a median follow-up of 26 months, the multivariable analysis identified a decreased level of consciousness as an independent risk factor associated with poor outcome of AE (HR = 3.591, p = 0.016). Meanwhile, decreased metabolism of right superior frontal gyrus along with increased metabolism of the middle and upper brainstem was more evident in patients with poor outcome (p < 0.001, uncorrected). CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT was more sensitive than MRI to detect neuroimaging abnormalities of AE. A mixed metabolic pattern, characterized by large areas of cortical hypometabolism with focal hypermetabolism was a general metabolic pattern. Decreased metabolism of right superior frontal gyrus with increased metabolism of the middle and upper brainstem may predict poor long-term prognosis of AE.

Thyroid ultrasonic changes relate to implantation failure in euthyroid women with thyroid autoimmunity undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ultrasonic manifestations of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) related to embryo qualities or pregnancy outcomes in women with thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. METHODS: Our study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 589 euthyroid women enrolled from January 2017 to December 2019. 214 TAI women and 375 control women were allocated in each group according to serum levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb). Basal serum hormone levels and thyroid ultrasound were assessed, embryo qualities, pregnancy outcomes were collected from medical records. Diagnosis of thyroid ultrasound was used for subanalysis. Logistic regression was used to evaluate outcomes of embryo development and pregnancy. RESULTS: Implantation rate was significantly lower in euthyroid women with TAI compared with control group (TAI group: 65.5% vs. Control group: 73.0%, adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.65 (0.44, 0.97), p = 0.04). We further stratified TAI group into two groups: one group with HT features under ultrasound and another group with normal thyroid ultrasound. After regression analysis, TAI women with HT morphological changes had a lower chance of implantation compared with control group (TAI group with HT: 64.1% vs. Control group: 73.0%, adjusted OR (95% CI): 0.63 (0.41, 0.99), p = 0.04), while there was no significant difference on implantation rate between TAI women with normal thyroid ultrasound and control group. Other outcomes, such as embryo qualities and pregnancy rate, were comparable between TAI and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: A higher risk of implantation failure was seen among euthyroid women with TAI, especially women with HT morphological changes under ultrasound. The underlying mechanisms of implantation failure among euthyroid HT patients need further research.

Predicting central cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a practical nomogram based on retrospective study.

Background: In papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), preoperative ultrasonography frequently reveals the presence of enlarged lymph nodes in the central neck region. These nodes pose a diagnostic challenge due to their potential resemblance to metastatic lymph nodes, thereby impacting the surgical decision-making process for clinicians in terms of determining the appropriate surgical extent. Methods: Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors associated with central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in PTC patients with HT. Then a prediction model was developed and visualized using a nomogram. The stability of the model was assessed using ten-fold cross-validation. The performance of the model was further evaluated through the use of ROC curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Results: A total of 376 HT PTC patients were included in this study, comprising 162 patients with CLNM and 214 patients without CLNM. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, Tg-Ab level, tumor size, punctate echogenic foci, and blood flow grade were identified as independent risk factors associated with the development of CLNM in HT PTC. The area under the curve (AUC) of this model was 0.76 (95% CI [0.71-0.80]). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value of the model were determined to be 88%, 51%, 67%, and 57%, respectively. Conclusions: The proposed clinic-ultrasound-based nomogram in this study demonstrated a favorable performance in predicting CLNM in HT PTCs. This predictive tool has the potential to assist clinicians in making well-informed decisions regarding the appropriate extent of surgical intervention for patients.

Quantitative brain 18F-FDG PET/CT analysis in seronegative autoimmune encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: Brain 18F-FDG PET/CT is a useful diagnostic in evaluating patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis (AE). Specific patterns of brain dysmetabolism have been reported in anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 AE, and the degree of dysmetabolism may correlate with clinical functional status.18FDG-PET/CT abnormalities have not yet been described in seronegative AE. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of brain18FDG-PET/CT data in people with seronegative AE treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Utilizing NeuroQ™ software, the Z-scores of 47 brain regions were calculated relative to healthy controls, then visually and statistically compared for probable and possible AE per clinical consensus diagnostic criteria to previous data from anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 cohorts. RESULTS: Eight probable seronegative AE and nine possible seronegative AE were identified. The group only differed in frequency of abnormal brain MRI, which was seen in all of the probable seronegative AE patients. Both seronegative groups had similar overall patterns of brain dysmetabolism. A common pattern of frontal lobe hypometabolism and medial temporal lobe hypermetabolism was observed in patients with probable and possible seronegative AE, as well as anti-NMDAR and anti-LGI1 AE as part of their respective characteristic patterns of dysmetabolism. Four patients had multiple brain18FDG-PET/CT scans, with changes in number and severity of abnormal brain regions mirroring clinical status. CONCLUSIONS: A18FDG-PET/CT pattern of frontal lobe hypometabolism and medial temporal lobe hypermetabolism could represent a common potential biomarker of AE, which along with additional clinical data may facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Characteristics of LGI1-Antibody and CASPR2-Antibody Encephalitis.

Importance: Rapid and accurate diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis encourages prompt initiation of immunotherapy toward improved patient outcomes. However, clinical features alone may not sufficiently narrow the differential diagnosis, and awaiting autoantibody results can delay immunotherapy. Objective: To identify simple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics that accurately distinguish 2 common forms of autoimmune encephalitis, LGI1- and CASPR2-antibody encephalitis (LGI1/CASPR2-Ab-E), from 2 major differential diagnoses, viral encephalitis (VE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study involved a retrospective, blinded analysis of the first available brain MRIs (taken 2000-2022) from 192 patients at Oxford University Hospitals in the UK and Mayo Clinic in the US. These patients had LGI1/CASPR2-Ab-E, VE, or CJD as evaluated by 2 neuroradiologists (discovery cohort; n = 87); findings were validated in an independent cohort by 3 neurologists (n = 105). Groups were statistically compared with contingency tables. Data were analyzed in 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: MRI findings including T2 or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensities, swelling or volume loss, presence of gadolinium contrast enhancement, and diffusion-weighted imaging changes. Correlations with clinical features. Results: Among 192 participants with MRIs reviewed, 71 were female (37%) and 121 were male (63%); the median age was 66 years (range, 19-92 years). By comparison with VE and CJD, in LGI1/CASPR2-Ab-E, T2 and/or FLAIR hyperintensities were less likely to extend outside the temporal lobe (3/42 patients [7%] vs 17/18 patients [94%] with VE; P < .001, and 3/4 patients [75%] with CJD; P = .005), less frequently exhibited swelling (12/55 [22%] with LGI1/CASPR2-Ab-E vs 13/22 [59%] with VE; P = .003), and showed no diffusion restriction (0 patients vs 16/22 [73%] with VE and 8/10 [80%] with CJD; both P < .001) and rare contrast enhancement (1/20 [5%] vs 7/17 [41%] with VE; P = .01). These findings were validated in an independent cohort and generated an area under the curve of 0.97, sensitivity of 90%, and specificity of 95% among cases with T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in the hippocampus and/or amygdala. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, T2 and/or FLAIR hyperintensities confined to the temporal lobes, without diffusion restriction or contrast enhancement, robustly distinguished LGI1/CASPR2-Ab-E from key differential diagnoses. These observations should assist clinical decision-making toward expediting immunotherapy. Their generalizability to other forms of autoimmune encephalitis and VE should be examined in future studies.

Autoimmune encephalitis: what the radiologist needs to know.

Autoimmune encephalitis is a relatively novel nosological entity characterized by an immune-mediated damage of the central nervous system. While originally described as a paraneoplastic inflammatory phenomenon affecting limbic structures, numerous instances of non-paraneoplastic pathogenesis, as well as extra-limbic involvement, have been characterized. Given the wide spectrum of insidious clinical presentations ranging from cognitive impairment to psychiatric symptoms or seizures, it is crucial to raise awareness about this disease category. In fact, an early diagnosis can be dramatically beneficial for the prognosis both to achieve an early therapeutic intervention and to detect a potential underlying malignancy. In this scenario, the radiologist can be the first to pose the hypothesis of autoimmune encephalitis and refer the patient to a comprehensive diagnostic work-up - including clinical, serological, and neurophysiological assessments.In this article, we illustrate the main radiological characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis and its subtypes, including the typical limbic presentation, the features of extra-limbic involvement, and also peculiar imaging findings. In addition, we review the most relevant alternative diagnoses that should be considered, ranging from other encephalitides to neoplasms, vascular conditions, and post-seizure alterations. Finally, we discuss the most appropriate imaging diagnostic work-up, also proposing a suggested MRI protocol.

[A case of Hashimoto's encephalopathy with acute onset of psychiatric symptoms and diffuse deep white matter lesions on brain MRI].

A 51-year-old man developed acute disturbances in consciousness and psychiatric symptoms one month prior to admission. He was referred and admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of our hospital and transferred to the neurology department because diffuse white matter lesions were found on his brain during MRI. 123I-IMP-SPECT showed extensive cerebral hypoperfusion mainly in the frontal lobes. Anti-Tg, anti-TPO, and anti-NAE antibodies were positive. These findings led to a diagnosis of Hashimoto's encephalopathy. The patient responded to steroid pulse therapy, high-dose steroid therapy, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, showing improvement in symptoms and imaging findings. Hashimoto's encephalopathy often presents with MRI findings similar to those of limbic encephalitis, when the patient presents with acute consciousness disturbance and psychiatric symptoms. However, this case showed diffuse white matter lesions, which may be clinically important for the differential diagnosis.

Are sonographic characteristics of Hashimoto's thyroiditis related with immunologic parameters? A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics of Hashimoto's thyroiditis are widely recognized. However, there is a dearth of information concerning the relationship between these aspects. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between sonographic features and immunologic parameters in individuals with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled a cohort of 100 consecutive patients diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Ultrasonography was performed to classify thyroid gland characteristics, including parenchymal heterogeneity (mild/moderate-to-high), extent of fibrosis (none-to-mild/moderate-to-high), and volume (atrophic/non-atrophic). As for immunologic parameters, thyroid autoantibodies (TOA; anti-TPO and anti-Tg), along with IG (immunoglobulin) G4 levels and lymphocyte subsets, were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients evaluated, 88 were female (88%) and 12 were male (12%). IgG4/IgG ratio and weekly levothyroxine (LT4) dose were significantly higher in the group with moderate-to-high heterogeneity than the group with mild parenchymal heterogeneity (p = 0.043 and p < 0.001, respectively). Compared to the group with none-to-mild fibrosis, the anti-TPO, IgG4, IgG4/IgG ratio and LT4 dose were significantly higher in the moderate-to-high fibrosis group. Anti-TPO and IgG levels were significantly lower in the atrophic thyroid group compared to the non-atrophic thyroid group. Although not reaching statistical significance, the proportion of plasma cells in the moderate/high fibrosis group was higher than in the non-fibrosis/mild fibrosis group. There was a moderate positive correlation between fibrosis with Anti-TPO, and a low positive correlation between anti-Tg, IgG4 levels with IgG4/IgG ratio. CONCLUSION: TOA, Ig G4 levels and severity of hypothyroidism were associated with ultrasonographic features such as parenchymal heterogeneity and fibrosis in Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Thyroid hormone dysfunction in MOGAD and other demyelinating diseases.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid hormones play a critical role in both neuronal and glial cell functions. Multiple sclerosis (MS) has increased co-occurrence with autoimmune thyroid diseases, and recent studies have suggested a potential link between neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and thyroid hormones. However, no previous studies have examined the relationship between thyroid hormones and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated demyelination (MOGAD). METHODS: We investigated the role of thyroid hormones in central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune demyelinating diseases in 26 MOGAD patients, 52 NMOSD patients, 167 patients with MS, and 16 patients with other noninflammatory neurological disorders. Thyroid hormone levels and clinical data (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]) were analyzed. Volumetric brain information was determined in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the MDbrain platform. RESULTS: MOGAD patients had significantly higher levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3) compared to NMOSD patients. No correlation was found between FT3 levels and disease severity or brain volume. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels did not differ significantly between the groups, but in NMOSD patients, higher TSH levels were associated with lower disability scores and increased brain volume. No significant differences in free thyroxine (FT4) levels were observed between the different groups, however, FT4 levels were significantly higher in relapsing versus monophasic MOGAD patients and increased FT4 levels were associated with a higher EDSS and lower brain volume in NMOSD patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potential involvement of thyroid hormones specifically in MOGAD patients and other demyelinating CNS disorders. Understanding the role of thyroid hormones in relapsing vs monophasic MOGAD patients and in comparison to other demyelinating disorder could lead to the development of therapeutic interventions. Further studies are needed to explore the precise mechanisms and potential interventions targeting the thyroid axis as a treatment strategy.

HT-RCM: Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Ultrasound Image Classification Model Based on Res-FCT and Res-CAM.

The early lesions of Hashimoto's thyroiditis are inconspicuous, and the ultrasonic features of these early lesions are indistinguishable from other thyroid diseases. This paper proposes a Hashimoto Thyroiditis ultrasound image classification model HT-RCM which consists of a Residual Full Convolution Transformer (Res-FCT) model and a Residual Channel Attention Module (Res-CAM). To collect the low-order information caused by hypoechoic signals accurately, the residual connection is injected between FCTs to form Res-FCT which helps HT-RCM superimpose the low-order input information and high-order output information together. Res-FCT can make HT-RCM focus more on hypoechoic information while avoiding gradient dispersion. The initial feature map is inserted into Res-FCT again through a down-sampling component, which further helps HT-RCM exact multi-level original semantic information in the ultrasound image. Res-CAM is constructed by implementing a residual connection between a channel attention module and a convolution layer. Res-CAM can effectively increase the weights of the lesion channels while suppressing the weights of the noise channels, which makes HT-RCM focus more on the lesion regions. The experimental results on our collected dataset show that HT-RCM outperforms the mainstream models and obtains state-of-the-art performance in HT ultrasound image classification.

Increased prevalence of nodular thyroid disease in patients with Klinefelter syndrome.

PURPOSE: Thyroid dysfunction in patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) remains an unresolved issue. Although low free thyroxine (FT4) levels within the normal range and normal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels have been reported, there is currently no data on nodular thyroid disease in this population. This study aims to evaluate the results of thyroid ultrasound (US) examinations in KS patients compared with healthy controls. METHODS: A cohort of 122 KS and 85 age-matched healthy male controls underwent thyroid US screening and thyroid hormone analysis. According to US risk-stratification systems, nodules ≥1 cm were examined by fine needle aspiration (FNA). RESULTS: Thyroid US detected nodular thyroid disease in 31% of KS compared to 13% of controls. No statistical differences in the maximum diameter of the largest nodules and in moderate and highly suspicious nodules were found between patients and the control group. Six KS patients and two controls with nodules underwent FNA and were confirmed as cytologically benign. In line with published data, FT4 levels were found significantly near the lower limit of the normal range compared to controls, with no differences in TSH values between the two groups. Hashimoto's thyroiditis was diagnosed in 9% of patients with KS. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a significantly higher prevalence of nodular thyroid disease in KS compared to the control group. The increase in nodular thyroid disease is likely linked to low levels of FT4, inappropriate TSH secretion, and/or genetic instability.

A novel classification model based on cerebral 18F-FDG uptake pattern facilitates the diagnosis of acute/subacute seropositive autoimmune encephalitis.

PURPOSE: To explore the intrinsic alteration of cerebral 18F-FDG metabolism in acute/subacute seropositive autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and to propose a universal classification model based on 18F-FDG metabolic patterns to predict AE. METHODS: Cerebral 18F-FDG PET images of 42 acute/subacute seropositive AE patients and 45 healthy controls (HCs) were compared using voxelwise and region of interest (ROI)-based schemes. The mean standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) of 59 subregions according to a modified Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) atlas were compared using a t-test. Subjects were randomly divided into a training set (70%) and a testing set (30%). Logistic regression models were built based on the SUVRs and the models were evaluated by determining their predictive value in the training and testing sets. RESULTS: The 18F-FDG uptake pattern in the AE group was characterized by increased SUVRs in the brainstem, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and temporal lobe, and decreased SUVRs in the occipital, and frontal regions with voxelwise analysis (false discovery rate [FDR] p<0.05). Utilizing ROI-based analysis, we identified 15 subareas that exhibited statistically significant changes in SUVRs among AE patients compared to HC (FDR p<0.05). Further, a logistic regression model incorporating SUVRs from the calcarine cortex, putamen, supramarginal gyrus, cerebelum_10, and hippocampus successfully enhanced the positive predictive value from 0.76 to 0.86 when compared to visual assessments. This model also demonstrated potent predictive ability, with AUC values of 0.94 and 0.91 observed for the training and testing sets, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: During the acute/subacute stages of seropositive AE, alterations in SUVRs appear to be concentrated within physiologically significant regions, ultimately defining the general cerebral metabolic pattern. By incorporating these key regions into a new classification model, we have improved the overall diagnostic efficiency of AE.

Revisiting femoral cartilage thickness in cases with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in thyroidology: a single institute experience.

OBJECTIVE: Hashimoto's thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis or autoimmune thyroiditis, is a considerable part of the spectrum of chronic autoimmune thyroid gland disorders which is pathologically associated with various degrees of lymphocytic infiltration. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether cartilage thickness is affected in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or not in thyroidology. METHODS: A total of 61 individuals had been evaluated in this case-control study, including 32 euthyroid Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients and 29 healthy subjects comparable in age, sex, and body mass index. The patients with a history of knee trauma or knee surgery, an additional systemic disease such as diabetes mellitus, or an inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma had not been included in the study. The thickness of the femoral articular cartilage was measured using B-mode ultrasonography, and the right lateral condyle, right intercondylar area, right medial condyle, left medial condyle, left intercondylar area, and left lateral condyle were also measured. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference between patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis diagnosis and healthy controls in terms of age, age groups, gender, and body mass index (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: As a consequence, no obvious connection between autoimmune markers and cartilage thickness in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was recognized. Although the diverse manifestation of Hashimoto's thyroiditis could be observed, it seems to be no liaison between thyroid autoimmunity and cartilage thickness.

Influence of sex, age and thyroid function indices on dual-energy computed tomography-derived quantitative parameters of thyroid in patients with or without Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

PURPOSE: To study the influence of sex, age and thyroid function indices on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT)-derived quantitative parameters of thyroid in patients with or without Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 198 consecutive patients who underwent DECT scan of neck due to unilateral thyroid lesions were retrospectively enrolled. Iodine concentration (IC), total iodine content (TIC) and volume of normal thyroid lobe were calculated. Influences of sex, age and thyroid function indices on DECT-derived parameters in overall study population, subgroup patients with, and those without HT were assessed using Mann-Whitney U test, Student's T-test, and Spearman correlation analyses, respectively, as appropriate. RESULTS: HT group showed significantly lower IC and TIC, while higher volume than No-HT group (all p < 0.001). The volume was larger in male than that in female in overall study population and No-HT group (p = 0.047 and 0.010, respectively). There was no significant difference in any DECT-derived parameters between low (≤ 35 years) and high (> 35 years) age group in all three groups (all p > 0.05). TPOAb and TgAb correlated positively with IC and TIC, and negatively with volume in overall study population (all p < 0.05). TPOAb and TgAb also correlated positively with IC in HT group (p = 0.002 and 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSION: DECT-derived parameters of thyroid differed significantly between patients with and without HT. Sex and thyroid function indices could affect the DECT-derived parameters. Aforementioned physiological factors should be considered when analyzing the DECT-derived parameters of thyroid.

Can thyroid elastography with ultrasound be used to stage children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the stiffness of the thyroid parenchyma with Shear wave elastography (SWE) in children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and healthy controls. METHODS: A total of 130 children with HT and 46 healthy controls were included in this study. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the groups, thyroiditis stages in thyroid ultrasonography, and SWE scores which was obtained as kilopascal (kPa), were analysed. RESULTS: We observed that SWE scores were significantly higher in children with HT compared to healthy controls, and SWE scores increased significantly in HT group, as the thyroiditis stage increased (p<0.001). Median, 1st (Q1) and 3rd (Q3) quartiles of SWE scores were as follows; healthy control: 7.4 kPa (6-10.6), stage 1 HT: 9.6 kPa (7.4-11.2), stage 2 HT: 15.2 kPa (10.8-19.9), stage 3 HT: 17.9 kPa (13.7-25.8), (p<0.001). Children with HT were divided into subgroups according to serum TSH and free T4 levels as euthyroid (103; 79.2% of children), euthyroid but subclinical TSH elevation (7; 5.4% of children), hypothyroidism (11; 8.5% of children) and hyperthyroidism (9; 6.9% of children). The SWE scores were significantly higher in children with hypothyroidism with HT compared to healthy controls 17.9 kPa (13.6-27.5) vs. 7.4 kPa (6-10.6), and in euthyroid children with HT compared to healthy controls 11.5 kPa (9.2-15.6) vs. 7.4 kPa (6-10.6), (p=0.006 and p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The SWE scores increase as the thyroiditis stage increases in children with HT. There was no significant difference in SWE scores between stage 2 and stage 3 thyroiditis.

Assessment of Cerebral Arterial Flow Volume Changes with Carotid Vertebral Artery Duplex Doppler Ultrasound in Young-Middle-aged Subclinical Hashimoto Thyroiditis Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate cerebral arterial flow volume changes during the hypothyroid, euthyroid, and hyperthyroid phases and comparing between laboratory findings and cerebral arterial flow changes with carotid-vertebral duplex Doppler ultrasound (CVA-DUSG) in subclinical Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) patients. METHODS: According to the TSH level, 3 groups were constructed between patient cases. Group 1 (n=29) was the subclinical hyperthyroid group. In this group, the TSH level was between 0.0005 and 0.3 IU/ml. Group 2 (n=175) was the euthyroid group. TSH level in this group was between 0.3 and 4.2 IU/ml. Group 3 (n=76) was the subclinical hypothyroid group. In this group, the TSH level was above 4.2 IU/ml. The control-group (group 4) (n=71) included healthy people. In this group, the TSH level was between 0.3 and 4.2 IU/ml. After obtaining at least three consecutive waves from the bilateral internal cerebral artery and bilateral vertebral artery, volume flows were calculated using CVA-DUSG. Volume flows were calculated as peak systolic velocity + end diastolic velocity/2 × mean arterial diameter. The mean ICA(Internal Carotid Artery) and VA(Vertebral Artery) diameter was measured per ICA and VA. Total cerebral artery flow volume was defined as right ICA + right VA flow volume and left ICA + left VA flow volume. We also demonstrated topographic cerebral artery blood flow changes. Total ICA flow volume was used to assess the anterior part of the brain, total VA flow volume was used to evaluate the posterior part of the brain, right ICA + right VA flow volume was used to assess the right part of the brain, and left ICA + left VA flow volume was used to verify the left part of the brain. RESULTS: There were significant differences between RVA(Right Vertebral Artery) flow volume, LICA (Left Internal Carotid Artery) flow volume, total flow volume, TSH, and T3 and T4 levels in all groups according to the Dunn's multiple comparison test.(p<0.001) Mean TSH level was 0.03 (0.005-0.06) IU/ml in group 1, 2.8 (1.8-3.97) IU/ml in group 2, 7.32 (6.14-9.93) IU/ml in group 3, and 1.76 (1.17-2.49) IU/ml in the control group. The mean T3 level was 4.18 (3.55-5.38) in group 1, 2.88 (2.63-3.16) in group 2, 2.82 (2.49-3.15) in group 3, 3.14 (2.92-3.15) in the control group. The mean T4 level was 1.92 (1.29-2.5) in group 1, 1.16(1.03-1.31) in group 2, 1.01 (0.91-1.16) in group 3, 1.12 (0.97-1.30) in the control group (group 4). Mean total flow volume was 793 (745-898) ml/min in group 1, 742 (684.25-822.5) ml/min in group 2, 747 (692-824) ml/min in group 3, and 700 (673-675) ml/min in the control group. We also demonstrated topographic cerebral arterial volume flow changes with CVA-DUSG. There was a significant difference among all groups in the right and anterior parts of the brain (p < 0.001), and there was a significant difference between groups 1 and 4 in the left part of the brain (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that total cerebral arterial volume flow increased in the hyperthyroid phase of subclinical HT cases without any internal carotid and vertebral artery diameter changes compared with the euthyroid and hypothyroid phases of subclinical HT and healthy cases. We also verified topographic cerebral arterial blood flow changes in subclinical HT cases with a real-time, easily applicable modality (CVA-DUSG) that does not include X-ray or contrast agents. There was a significant difference between all groups in the right and anterior parts of the brain and there was a significant difference between groups 1 and 4 in the left part of the brain.

Evaluation of IL-10, MCP-1, IFN gamma, and protectin D1 levels in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

PURPOSE: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is one of the most prevalent autoimmune endocrine diseases and caused by the loss of immune tolerance for the thyroid gland. Many pathophysiological mechanisms were speculated about the development of HT. In our study, we aimed to reveal the relationship between HT and IL-10, MCP-1, IFNɤ, and PD1 levels and compare them with control subjects. METHODS: We collected 37 patients with HT and 25 controls referred to our outpatient clinic. The diagnosis of HT was based on the detection of circulating antibodies to thyroid antigens and decreasing echogenicity on thyroid USG in patients with appropriate clinical characteristics. Serum IL-10, MCP-1, IFNɤ, and PD1 levels were detected using an ELISA KIT (96 T) method according to the manufacturer's instructions. RESULTS: All subjects were euthyroid (median TSH level was 1.68 mU/L in HT vs 1.83 mU/L in the controls, p = 0.672). Twenty-three of 37 patients with HT were taking L-thyroxin replacement. Levels of serum IL-10, IFNɤ, and PD1 in patients with HT were higher than the controls, but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.393, p = 0.495, and p = 0.052 respectively). The serum levels of MCP-1 in HT patients were statistically different and higher than the controls (p = 0.018). Correlation analysis displayed significant associations between IL-10, MCP-1, IFNɤ, and PD1 levels. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that serum MCP-1 levels in HT patients were significantly increased; on the other hand, significant difference was not found between HT patients and the controls in terms of serum IL-10, IFNɤ, and PD1 levels.

Factors Affecting Thyroid Elastography in Healthy Children and Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Objective: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common form of thyroiditis in childhood. In addition to thyroid ultrasonography, shear-wave elastography (SWE) can evaluate thyroid parenchyma tissue stiffness, and more detailed findings can be obtained with this method. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between SWE values and clinical, biochemical and hormonal parameters of patients with HT and in healthy individuals. Methods: We compared 46 newly diagnosed HT cases with 46 healthy controls. We examined the effect of all metabolic parameters and thyroid-related markers on SWE values. Results: The mean SWE values in those patients with euthyroid HT were 12.5±5.1 kilopascal (kPa), whereas it was 8.2±2.82 kPa in healthy controls (p<0.001). Although the clinical [age, gender and body mass index (BMI)] and laboratory parameters (such as thyroid function tests, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, insulin-like growth factor-1 values, which we think may affect SWE scores) of those children with HT and the healthy controls were statistically similar (p>0.05), except for their thyroid autoantibodies and thyroglobulin, SWE values and thyroid volume were significantly higher in those individuals with HT (p<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the direction and degree of the effect of the variables on thyroid elasticity scores. It was observed that age (p=0.002), BMI standard deviation score (SDS) (p=0.04) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (p=0.008) levels were effective on the thyroid elasticity score in the regression model. We detected a SWE cut-off value of 9.68 kPa with 68% sensitivity and 72% specificity, a 70% positive predictive value, and a 69% negative predictive value in thyroid elastography when differentiating between cases with HT and healthy controls. Conclusion: Our results show that no metabolic factor other than BMI SDS has any effect on SWE scores, especially in healthy children. There was a positive correlation between BMI SDS and SWE in healthy children (r=0.353; p=0.02), but not in those patients with HT (r=0.196; p=0.19). Likewise, age is another factor affecting SWE only in healthy children. We do not recommend routine evaluation of any laboratory parameters other than thyroid functions before thyroid elastography.