Figure 3.

Thyroiditis-like areas (focal hypoechogenicity). Representative images in transverse (A) and longitudinal (B) planes at thyroid ultrasound (US) showing focal hypoechoic areas (white arrows). (C) Bar graphs showing the prevalence of focal hypoechoic areas at thyroid US (black if present, grey if absent) in patients with serum concentrations at hospital admission of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) < 0.45 mIU/L, the lower cut-off for automated reflex TSH assay (low TSH), or above 0.45 mIU/L and within the normal reference range (normal TSH). Box plots of the association between the presence or absence of focal areas of hypoechogenicity at US (F. Hypoechoic US) and serum concentrations at hospital admission of free-thyroxine (FT4; D) and interleukin-6 (IL-6; E).