Neonatal hypothyroidism: comparison of radioisotope and ultrasound imaging in 54 cases.

Fifty-four neonates with congenital hypothyroidism identified by the North East and North West Thames Regional hypothyroid screening programme between January 1985 and December 1987 were investigated with radioisotope (Tc99m) and ultrasound scans of the thyroid before treatment with 1-thyroxine was commenced. Compared with the radioisotope scans, ultrasound identified normally sited thyroid tissue in only 7 out of 10 cases, and ectopic thyroid tissue in only 5 out of 26 cases. Three out of 18 cases with no isotope uptake in the neck appeared to have normally sited tissue on ultrasound scan. We conclude that in our hands ultrasound of the neck is of only limited value in the assessment of young infants with congenital hypothyroidism.