Sonographic Determination of Thyroid Gland Volume among Apparently Healthy School-aged Children in Northern Nigeria
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Date
2025-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Wolters Kluwer – Medknow
Abstract
Introduction: The establishment of normative thyroid volumes for school?aged children is pivotal for accurate assessments of thyroid health, especially in regions impacted by iodine?related interventions. This study aimed to determine the normal thyroid gland volume in apparently healthy school?aged children within Kano metropolis using ultrasonography. Materials and Methods: A cross?sectional and prospective study enrolled 276 randomly selected school children. Ultrasonography, facilitated by a 7.5 MHz linear probe?equipped machine, assessed thyroid volume alongside the collection of demographic data (age, height, and weight). Statistical analysis employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: The findings revealed a total thyroid gland volume (TTGV) of 1.9 ± 0.5 cm3, with no statistically significant gender?based differences observed. Interestingly, the mean right lobe volume (1.1 ± 0.3 cm3) was significantly larger than the left lobe volume (0.9 ± 0.3 cm3) with P = 0.001. Furthermore, positive correlations were noted between overall thyroid gland volume and factors such as age, height, weight, and body surface area. Conclusion: This study establishes the normative thyroid gland volume for school?aged children in the Kano metropolis, emphasizing the correlation primarily with age. These findings serve as a vital reference for accurate thyroid assessments in this population. The identified correlations between thyroid volume and demographic factors underscore the importance of considering these variables in thyroid health evaluations.
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Keywords
School?aged children, thyroid gland, thyroid volume, ultrasonography
Citation
Aminu Abubakar A, Ramalan Mansur A, Mansur Yahuza, Yau Anas, Mansur Umar, Shuaibu Abdullahi, Ogochukwu Nwadike Sharonrose, Nasiru Habiba Muhammad. Sonographic Determination of Thyroid Gland Volume among Apparently Healthy School-aged Children in Northern Nigeria. Acta Medica International. 2025 Apr; 12(1): 18-22