Positive Correlation of Thyroid Gland Volume with Isthmus Dimensions and with Anthropometric Parameters through a Cross Sectional Study on Karachi Population

Objective: Diverse variation in normal thyroid gland volume (TGV) among populations is mainly due to age, gender, anthropometric parameters and genetic factors. This study was carried out to determine the correlation between TGV with isthmus dimensions and with anthropometric parameters in a subset of Karachi population.

Place of the Study: It was a cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Radiology Ziauddin University Hospital Clifton Karachi, between April 2013 to March 2014.

Methodology: TGV of 208 euthyroid subjects was evaluated by 2 dimensional ultrasonography. Serum TSH was the screening test used to recruit euthyroid subjects for the study. Non parametric tests were applied to determine the correlation of TGV with anthropometric parameters and with isthmus dimensions.

Results: TGV was significantly and positively correlated with, height, weight, body surface area (BSA) and lean body mass (LBM) but not with body mass index (BMI). Similarly, significant and positive correlation was observed between TGV and Isthmus transverse dimension but not with isthmus antero-posterior (A-P dimension.

Conclusion: Among all the studied anthropometric parameters diverse variation in TGV are mainly due to variation in height, weight, BSA and LBM. LBM was found to be the most crucial determinant influencing TGV in this studied population. TGV has also correlated significantly and positively with isthmus transverse dimension.