Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Aug 7;15(15):1980.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15151980.

Factors Affecting Thyroid Volume in Children Aged 4 to 18 Years

Nevena Folić  1   2 , Marko Folić  3   4 , Miloš N Milosavljević  5 , Ana V Pejčić  5 , Slobodan Janković  4   5 , Maja Vulović  6 , Milos Stepovic  6 , Isidora Mihajlović  1   2 , Jovana Milosavljević  6
Affiliations

Factors Affecting Thyroid Volume in Children Aged 4 to 18 Years

Nevena Folić et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background and objectives: Ultrasound measurement of thyroid volume is not routinely performed in children without suspected thyroid disorders. However, pediatricians must be aware of the normal thyroid volume values in children in order to recognize and treat thyroid disorders in children on time. Therefore, this study aimed to explore factors that influence thyroid volume in children aged 4 to 18 years and to provide descriptive data on thyroid volume across this age range.

Materials and methods: This was a prospective, non-interventional cross-sectional study conducted on a population of children aged 4 to 18 years without confirmed thyroid disorders. We used validated formulas for calculating thyroid volume that integrate the linear dimensions of this organ, such as length, width, and depth, as well as the appropriate correction factor. The Spearman or Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationship between total thyroid volume and various continuous variables, while multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of potential predictors on the total thyroid volume.

Results: The study included 100 children, predominantly girls (75.0%). Significant positive correlations with thyroid volume were found for age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), body surface area, serum creatinine, birthweight, and number of comorbidities, while calcitonin was negatively correlated with children's thyroid volume. We identified age, BMI, and serum creatinine as significant independent positive predictors of thyroid volume in children.

Conclusions: Age, BMI, and serum creatinine emerged as significant independent positive predictors of thyroid volume and should be considered when interpreting pediatric thyroid ultrasound measurements.

Keywords: children; thyroid gland; thyroid volume; ultrasound.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box plots of thyroid volume calculated using Formula 1 and Formula 2 stratified by age group, weight, and height quartiles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Rosen R.D., Sapra A. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; Treasure Island, FL, USA: 2025. [(accessed on 18 June 2025)]. Embryology, Thyroid. Available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551611/ - PubMed
    1. Hoyes A.D., Kershaw D.R. Anatomy and development of the thyroid gland. Ear Nose Throat J. 1985;64:318–333. - PubMed
    1. DeGroot L.J., Larsen P.R., Hennemann G. The Thyroid and Its Diseases. 6th ed. Churchill Livingstone; New York, NY, USA: 1996. pp. 312–388.
    1. Leow C.K., Webb A.J. The lateral thyroid ligament of Berry. Int. Surg. 1998;83:75–78. - PubMed
    1. Won H.J., Won H.S., Kwak D.S., Jang J., Jung S.L., Kim I.B. Zuckerkandl Tubercle of the Thyroid Gland: Correlations between Findings of Anatomic Dissections and CT Imaging. AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol. 2017;38:1416–1420. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A5172. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources