[A new echographic sign for the reliable diagnosis of graves' disease (author's transl)].

With standardized echography, an ultrasonic method specifically designed for tissue differentiation, Graves' orbitopathy can be diagnosed reliably and accurately even when the clinical picture and thyroid tests are not typical for this condition (e.g., with unilateral exophthalmus, lack of lid signs, euthyroid status). A new echographic criterion of Graves' orbitopathy, i.e., the heterogeneous and high-reflective structure of the diseased muscle tissue, plays a key role in the differential diagnosis.