Thyroid size and goitre frequency in hyperthyroidism.

Thyroid function, the clinical occurrence of goitre and thyroid gland volume, ultrasonically determined, were investigated in 310 consecutive untreated patients with hyperthyroidism. Of 173 patients with Graves' disease (39%), 67 had no goitre, while 53 patients (31%) had a normal thyroid volume. Twenty-three of 91 patients with multinodular glands (25%) had no goitre and ten patients (11%) had a normal thyroid volume. Of 46 patients with solitary autonomous nodules (7%), three had no goitre while six (13%) had a normal thyroid volume. Out of all the hyperthyroid patients (30%), 93 had no clinically detectable goitre, and 69 (22%) had a normal thyroid volume. The lack of a goitre in a large portion of patients with hyperthyroidism could be responsible for delayed diagnosis and subsequent treatment of these patients.