A hypoechoic pattern of the thyroid at ultrasound does not indicate autoimmune thyroid diseases in patients with morbid obesity

Abstract

Our results suggest that i) morbid obesity may affect thyroid morphology, and ii) an hypoechoic pattern of the thyroid at US, a well-established parameter for diagnosing AITD, has a poor diagnostic accuracy when patients with morbid obesity are taken into account.