Health and You

Archive for January, 2010

How is the disease diagnosed?

The diagnosis procedure of thyroid disease usually involves blood tests. The levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are noted as part of screening test for the disease. When there is an increased level of TSH it indicates scarce production of thyroid hormone. Decreased levels of TSH indicate too much levels of hormone production.

There is a particular test for identifying between various forms of hypothyroidism. This involves injection of thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) into the vein. The hypothalamus usually secretes this hormone resulting in stimulation of the pituitary. The response of the pituitary is such that it releases TSH. Excessive quantities of TRH that is injected leads to suppression of TSH released. This release-suppression quantity is exaggerated in major depression, chronic phencyclidine abuse, primary hypothyroidism, cocaine dependence etc.

Ultrasound techniques are used in finding the thyroid nodule nature. This technique is called as ultrasonography. The diagnostic techniques also include radioiodine scanning. This imaging technique is called as thyroid scintigraphy. Medical biopsies of the tissues for examination are also used.

What treatment techniques are used for thyroid diseases?

Hypothyroidism can be treated with intake of Levothyroxine. Similarly thioamide medications are used to treat the Graves ’ disease. Radioactive iodine finds its use in treating hyperthyroidism.

Apart from the above medications, surgical procedures are also used for treatment. These are often used to remove the thyroid’s lobe or nodule for biopsies. Subtotal thyroidectomy is the surgical procedure that removes major part of thyroid as a part of treatment to hyperthyroidism. Complete thyroidectomy is a surgery of the whole thyroid used to treat thyroid cancer.
Radioiodine therapy is used to treat large goiters. These goiters can often show symptoms but they do not lead to cancer.

The impaired function of the thyroid gland causes thyroid diseases. The under activity of the thyroid gland is referred as hypothyroidism. Similarly, the overactivity of this gland is called as hyperthyroidism. The hypo and hyper function of the thyroid gland is a disease condition. The dysfunction of pituitary gland, thyroid gland, or the hypothalamus leads to imbalance in secretion of thyroid hormones.

Types of the disease

Some types of hypothyroidism include acute thyroiditis, silent thyroiditis, ord’s thyroiditis, iatrogenic and postoperative hypothyroidism, hashimoto’s thyroiditis etc. Some of the types of hyperthyroidism are iatrogenic hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, plummer’s disease hashitoxicosis, thyroid storm,toxic thyroid nodule etc.

What are the consequences of the disease?

Many anatomical consequences arise due to the disease. Goitre in many forms like multinodular, diffuse and endemic goitre occurs. Thyroid disease also leads to some types of tumors. They are thyroid adenoma, medullary cancer, follicular cancer, anaplastic cancer, and also papillary cancer. Rarely lymphomas also occur due to thyroid disease.