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. 2002 Nov;87(3):F209–F211. doi: 10.1136/fn.87.3.F209

Ultrasound of the thyroid gland in the newborn: normative data

R Perry, A Hollman, A Wood, M Donaldson
PMCID: PMC1721466  PMID: 12390993

Abstract

Objective: To establish reference ranges for thyroid length, breadth, depth, and volume in healthy term Scottish infants.

Design: Prospective observational study of 100 (49 male) neonates. Length, breadth, and depth were measured, and the volume of each lobe was calculated using the formula for a prolate ellipsoid (volume = length x breadth x depth x π/6).

Results: All measurements showed gaussian distribution, with no significant differences between the right and the left lobes. Values (mean (SD) range) were: length (cm), 1.94 (0.24) 0.9–2.5; breadth (cm), 0.88 (0.16) 0.5–1.4; depth (cm), 0.96 (0.17) 0.6–2.0; volume (ml), 0.81 (0.24) 0.3–1.7; combined volume (ml), 1.62 (0.41) 0.7–3.3. Although there was no difference in mean volume between right and left lobes, there was considerable variation (-0.8 to + 0.7 ml) between the two lobes in individual babies.

Conclusions: Both lobes should be measured to give a combined volume. Our findings provide a reference against which thyroid hypoplasia or goitre can be evaluated.

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Figure 1 .

Figure 1

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Diagram of thyroid gland (tg) showing the right and left lobes connected by the narrow isthmus (is). Each lobe is pear shaped with its apex directed upwards. The maximum length of each lobe was determined from sagittal sections on ultrasound, the maximum transverse diameter (br = breadth) from the transverse sections, and the maximum anteroposterior measurement (dp = depth) from the transverse images. tc, Thyroid cartilage; cc, cricoid cartilage; tr, trachea; hb, hyoid bone; ijv, internal jugular vein; eo, oesophagus.

Figure 2 .

Figure 2

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Histogram showing the gaussian distribution of total thyroid volume.

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