Abstract
We retrospectively studied tracheal deviation on chest X-rays in 52,516 subjects (28,052 males and 24,464 females) who received health check-ups at the Health Service Association Clinic (Kenko Life Plaza) over a period of three years and three months.
The grade of tracheal deviation was classified as mild (I), moderate (II), severe (III) and parallel or arched (IV). The causes of tracheal deviation were investigated by physical findings, personal history, family history and thyroid function tests from medical records and patient referral documents.
We found 49 patients with tracheal deviation due to thyroid disease (0.1%), of which 14(28.6%) were grade I, 11 (22.4%) were II, 12 (24.5%) were III and 12 (24.5%) were IV.
Of the 49 patients, 13 had had thyroid nodules and cysts larger than 10 mm in diameter detected by thyroid ultrasonography.
The underlying cause of tracheal deviation was benign thyroid nodule in 53% : benign thyroid nodule with Hashimoto’s disease in 8%: Hashimoto’s disease in 15%: Graves’ disease, goiter in 6%: and papillary thyroid cancer, follicular tumor, intrathoracic mediastinal thyroid goiter, multiple thyroid cysts, Plummer’s disease, benign thyroid nodule with cysts in 2%.
These findings suggest that it is very important to consider further examinations for thyroid disease in case of detection of tracheal deviation on chest X-rays in health check-ups.
