To investigate the features of thyroid ultrasonographic manifestations in patients with subclinical thyroid serological anomalies during pregnancy.

In present study, a total of 53 women who attended the obstetrics clinic in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from January 2014 to December 2015 underwent thyroid ultrasound scanning. All women included in this study were checked up for the serological levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPoAb) in the first trimester and were diagnosed as thyroid dysfunction or abnormal level of serological antibody for the first time. The χ² test was used to compare the incidences of abnormal thyroid echogenicity and increased blood flow in thyroid between groups with serological TPoAb level≥1300 IU/L and<1300 IU/L.

Among 53 cases, 21 were subclinical hyperthyroidism, 10 were subclinical hypothyroidism, and 22 were isolated elevated serum TPoAb cases. Among 21 subclinical hyperthyroid patients, 16 cases without elevated TPoAb were unremarkable on thyroid scanning, while 2 out of the rest 5 cases (40.0%) with increased serum TPoAb demonstrated mild thyroid diffuse abnormal echogenicity. Among 10 subclinical hypothyroid cases, 2 out of 5 cases (40.0%) without elevated TPoAb manifested mild thyroid diffuse abnormal echogenicity, while 4 of 5 cases (80.0%) with elevated TPoAb showed diffuse abnormal echogenicity of thyroid. In 22 women with isolated elevated serum TPoAb, 11(50.0%) demonstrated diffuse thyroid abnormal echogenicity. In all 32 cases with elevated serum TPoAb, the serum TPoAb level was≥1300 IU/L in 9 cases and<1300 IU/L in 23 cases. The incidence of thyroid abnormal echogenicity was higher in women with serum TPoAb level≥1300 IU/L than in women with <1300 IU/L (8/9 vs 9/23), which was statistically significant (χ²=6.432, P=0.018); while no significant difference in the incidence of increased blood flow in both groups was identified (6/9 vs 9/23, χ²=1.970, P=0.080).

The thyroid ultrasonographic manifestations varied in patients with thyroid serologic anomalies during pregnancy, and were not closely consistent with the serological findings.