ObjectiveTo explore elastic change in thyroid tissue by virtual touch tissue quantification（VTQ）in thedifferent clinical course of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis（HT）.MethodsA total of 153 patients with HT（HT group）who wereclinically and serological diagnosed were retrospectively analyzed.According to the characteristics of two-dimensional ultrasoundimages of HT

the patients were divided into focal type（type Ⅰ）

nodular type（type Ⅱ）

diffuse echo reduction type（type Ⅲ）

and diffuse echo enhancement type（type Ⅳ）

respectively

corresponding to early period

advanced period

active period andrecovery period in the clinical course of HT.Another 50 healthy subjects were selected as normal control group.The changes ofshear wave velocity（SWV）in normal control group and in different period of HT were analyzed by VTQ.ResultsThere were 35 cases in type Ⅰ

59 cases in type Ⅱ

27 cases in type Ⅲ and 32 cases in type Ⅳ.The difference of SWV was statisticallysignificant between normal control group and HT group（P=0.000）.The differences of SWV were statistically significant betweentype Ⅰ

Ⅳ and type Ⅱ

Ⅲ（all P=0.000）. With the development of HT clinical process

the SWV value was rising highergradually from type Ⅰ to type Ⅱ and Ⅲ

and descending gradually in the process of the type Ⅳ.ConclusionThere is asignificant change of the tissue elasticity in the process of HT.The hardness of the thyroid tissue is ascending gradually when theinflammation in HT is aggravated.