Prevalence of incidental @entity1374 in a relatively low XXXX intake area.

@entity1 @entity1375 @entity1496 @entity5787 @entity1669 @entity189 @entity5651 @entity1374
An ultrasonographic survey of @entity1374 was conducted in 547 consecutive apparently normal overweight subjects (380 females and 167 males), aged 27-58 years in an urban area with relatively low @entity1496 intake (mean daily urinary @entity1496 excretion: 10.6 micrograms/dL). Individuals with any previous @entity1374 or familial thyroid pathology were excluded. In 240 subjects (44%) high resolution ultrasonography of the thyroid was considered normal. In 307 individuals (56%) abnormalities of the echo structure (39%) or @entity1374 (17%) were detected by ultrasonography. Marked heterogeneity of the echo structure that was considered suggestive of chronic @entity1669 was present in 81 subjects (15%). In 72 of these patients the serum anti- @entity5787 levels were positive by a sensitive RIA. Thyroid nodules either solid or predominantly cystic were present in 90 subjects (17%). Eighteen @entity1 had a relatively large nodule (diameter 15-18 mm). Eleven of these nodules were missed at clinical examination. Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in 14 @entity1 and 7 individuals underwent thyroid surgery. In 6 subjects the pathologic diagnosis was benign @entity5651 and one @entity1 had a @entity189 . Thyroid function studies confirmed @entity1375 in 27 @entity1 (4.9%), all of them with elevated serum anti- @entity5787 autoantibodies levels. It was concluded that the overall occurrence of @entity1374 is more common than suspected by clinical examination.
