Value of two-dimensional shear wave elastography quantitative analysis for evaluation of thyroid function in first trimester pregnancy

Table 1 Results of conventional ultrasound, shown as mean± SD, median (5^th-95^th percentile) or number (percent)

Characteristics	Size of thyroid right lobe1 (mm2)	Size of thyroid left lobe1 (mm2)	Thyroid echotexture
			Inhomogeneous	Homogeneous
Pregnant with normal TSH level (n = 57)	180.44 ± 52.90, 180 (156-192)	162.04 ± 44.85, 150 (140-168)	15 (26.32)	42 (73.68)
Pregnant with abnormal TSH level (n = 18)	162.44 ± 44.90, 159 (129-182)	159.72 ± 46.70, 157 (130-182)	6 (33.33)	12 (66.67)
Non-pregnant with normal TSH level (n = 33)	160.21 ± 52.80, 144 (136.5-168)	146.21 ± 41.97, 135 (130-150)	11 (33.33)	22 (66.67)
χ2	4.986	3.303	0.636
P value	0.083	0.192	0.728

¹Non-normal distribution.

TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone.

Table 2 Results of 2D SWE quantitative comparison among three groups, shown as mean ± SD, median (5^th-95^th percentile)

Characteristics	Emean of transverse thyroid right lobe	Emax of transverse thyroid right lobe	Emean of transverse thyroid left lobe	Emax1 of transverse thyroid left lobe	Emean1 of longitudinal thyroid right lobe	Emax of longitudinal thyroid right lobe	Emean1 of longitudinal thyroid left lobe	Emax of longitudinal thyroid left lobe
Pregnant with normal TSH level (n = 57)	22.90 ± 5.23, 22.88 (21.53-24.12)	41.92 ± 6.93, 41.04 (39.58-43.05)	21.78 ± 5.54, 22.07 (19.76-24.37)	39.56 ± 8.10, 40.36 (38.33-42.24)	22.37 ± 5.59, 20.64 (19.82-24.09)	40.67 ± 7.52, 41.20 (37.45-43.25)	23.81 ± 5.23, 23.23 (21.29-25.48)	41.39 ± 7.05, 41.85 (37.82-43.27)
Pregnant with abnormal TSH level (n = 18)	20.90 ± 4.87, 21.62 (17.59-23.72)	38.68 ± 7.40, 41.05 (33.27-44.00)	19.98 ± 4.67, 19.98 (18.13-22.35)	40.06 ± 8.83, 42.01 (38.22-43.74)	22.77 ± 5.42, 22.18 (19.28-28.21)	41.29 ± 5.47, 42.07 (38.94-44.63)	24.28 ± 5.56, 24.77 (19.29-27.66)	42.26 ± 7.07, 42.46 (39.00-47.30)
Non-pregnant with normal TSH level (n = 33)	24.10 ± 5.79, 23.41 (21.44-26.32)	39.61 ± 8.71, 41.47 (36.87-44.65)	22.23 ± 4.75, 21.37 (20.08-24.91)	40.47 ± 6.00, 40.75 (37.48-43.80)	22.89 ± 6.36, 21.23 (20.02-23.99)	38.34 ± 6.50, 37.71 (34.92-41.22)	23.25 ± 5.77, 22.30 (20.00-24.24)	39.76 ± 7.80, 40.25 (34.34-42.65)
F/χ2	2.092	1.708	1.887	0.240	0.259	1.523	0.805	0.827
P value	0.129	0.186	0.157	0.887	0.878	0.223	0.668	0.440

¹Non-normal distribution.

2D SWE: Two-dimensional shear wave elastography; Emean: Mean elasticity; Emax: Maximal elasticity; TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone.

Table 3 Comparison of two-dimensional shear wave elastography quantitative parameters between patients with abnormal and normal thyroid antibodies in the pregnant group, shown as mean ± SD, median (5^th-95^th percentile)

Characteristics	Emean of transverse thyroid right lobe	Emax of transverse thyroid right lobe	Emean of transverse thyroid left lobe	Emax1 of transverse thyroid left lobe	Emean1 of longitudinal thyroid right lobe	Emax of longitudinal thyroid right lobe	Emean1 of longitudinal thyroid left lobe	Emax of longitudinal thyroid left lobe
Pregnant with normal thyroid antibodies (n = 59)	22.31 ± 4.95, 22.23 (21.13-24.00)	41.15 ± 7.04, 40.75 (39.59-43.05)	21.12 ± 5.39, 21.15 (18.60-23.37)	39.45 ± 8.48, 40.36 (38.28-42.56)	22.60 ± 5.68, 21.48 (20.20-23.51)	40.87 ± 7.12, 41.69 (37.68-43.25)	23.96 ± 5.15, 23.41 (21.37-25.52)	41.67 ± 7.25, 42.11 (38.74-43.27)
Pregnant with abnormal thyroid antibodies (n = 11)	23.69 ± 7.04, 22.44 (18.14-30.02)	40.98 ± 8.67, 38.01 (32.86-50.75)	22.59 ± 4.68, 22.85 (19.78-26.62)	40.19 ± 5.32, 41.32 (38.33-42.48)	22.16 ± 5.03, 21.54 (17.07-27.04)	39.15 ± 6.16, 41.20 (33.36-44.13)	23.95 ± 6.56, 20.45 (18.75-32.74)	39.89 ± 6.99, 38.25 (33.08-48.71)
t/Z	0.788	0.071	0.847	0.281	0.242	0.748	0.002	0.753
P value	0.434	0.944	0.365	0.779	0.809	0.457	0.999	0.454

¹Non-normal distribution.

2D SWE: Two-dimensional shear wave elastography; Emean: Mean elasticity; Emax: Maximal elasticity.