ALTERATION OF THYROID BLOOD-FLOW DURING THE NORMAL MENSTRUAL-CYCLE INHEALTHY CHINESE WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between thyroid activity and the menstrual cycle by measuring the Doppler para meters of the superior thyroid arteries in women of reproductive age, The study was performed in 27 healthy Chinese women aged between 19 an d 28 y for one menstrual cycle, and 25 age-matched healthy Chinese men for 3 weeks for comparison, In women, the peak systolic velocity incr eased from the follicular phase to the luteal phase, and the pulsatili ty index decreased from the follicular phase to the ovulatory phase an d increased slightly in the luteal phase, In men, alterations in the p attern of thyroid blood how were not observed; however, the average va lues of Doppler parameters during the study period in women were simil ar to those in men, The gender difference in the pattern of flow chara cteristics in the superior thyroid artery suggests effects of estrogen on thyroid function. (C) 1998 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medi cine & Biology.