Thyroid

The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the throat. The thyroid controls how quickly the body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to other hormones.

The principal hormones it makes are thyroxine (T4) an triiodothyronine (T3), which is more active. These hormones regulate the growth of many systems in the body. T3 and T4 are synthesised from iodine and tyrosine. The thyroid also makes calcitonin, which plays a role in calcium homeostasis.

Diseases
Hyper- and hypofunction (affects about 2% of the population)
 Hypothyroidism (underactivity) - Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone.
 Hashimoto's thyroiditis / thyroiditis
 Ord's thyroiditis
 Postoperative hypothyroidism
 Postpartum thyroiditis
 Silent thyroiditis
 Acute thyroiditis
 Iatrogenic hypothyroidism
 Hyperthyroidism (overactivity)
 Thyroid storm
 Graves-Basedow disease
 Toxic thyroid nodule
 Toxic nodular struma (Plummer's disease)
 Hashitoxicosis
 Iatrogenic hyperthyroidism
 De Quervain thyroiditis (inflammation starting as hyperthyroidism, can end as hypothyroidism)

Anatomical problems
 Goitre
 Endemic goitre
 Diffuse goitre
 Multinodular goitre
 Lingual thyroid
 Thyroglossal duct cyst

Tumors
 Thyroid adenoma
 Thyroid cancer
 Papillary
 Follicular
 Medullary
 Anaplastic
 Lymphomas and metastasis from elsewhere (rare)

Deficiencies
Cretinism

Additional images

Related pages
 Thymus

Other websites
 American Thyroid Association (Thyroid Information and professional organization)
 ''New Management Guidelines for Patients with Thyroid Nodules and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer from the American Thyroid Association Taskforce.
 Thyroid Disease Manager (free online textbook)
 Thyroid Disease (Nuclear Medicine Information)
 The Thyroid Foundation of America (Education about Thyroid Disease)

Category:Glands
Category:Endocrine system