The Pathology of the Thyroid Gland

TPO is an enzyme that plays a role in the production of thyroid hormones. However, over time, thyroiditis causes slow and chronic cell damage leading to the development of a goiter (enlarged thyroid) with gradual thyroid failure, and most patients will eventually develop symptoms of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroid symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, depression, muscle aches and reduced exercise tolerance, and irregular or heavy menses. (American Thyroid Association 2017).

Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto identified four patients with similar characteristics such as: “diffuse lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosis, parenchymal atrophy, and eosinophilic change in some of the acinar cells.” Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis often presents a painless yet enlarged thyroid gland, called a goiter. Hashimoto’s disease was often misdiagnosed and often found by either surgery or a thyroidectomy, according to Syrenicz, Anhelli (2013)

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland. You would find it located in the lower neck, right below the Adam’s apple. The location is the same in both men and women. What the thyroid does is create and store thyroid hormone. It then releases the hormone in appropriate amounts to keep the body’s metabolism functioning at a normal level. If there is too much thyroid hormone, this is known as hyperthyroidism. In hyperthyroidism, the body’s metabolism increases. This condition can cause high blood pressure, high heart rate, nervousness, palpitations, and severe weight loss. Too little thyroid hormone, on the other hand, can cause tiredness, depression, memory loss, dry skin, brittle hair, and weight gain—among many other symptoms.

Commonly, problems with the thyroid involve an abnormal production level of these hormones. It is called hyperthyroidism if there the thyroid hormones are overproduced, and this can cause things like Graves’ disease, Toxic adenomas, and subacute thyroiditis (7). Hypothyroidism is the underproduction of the hormones which can be caused by an inflamed thyroid, iodine deficiency, a non-functioning thyroid gland and more. Hypothyroidism is especially dangerous in infants and newborns as the lack of these thyroid hormones can lead to mental retardation and dwarfism (7). However, in humans hypothyroidism can be caused by things such as a pituitary disorder, a defective thyroid or a lack of the gland completely. (7)

The symptoms are initially asymptomatic they begin to appear such as swelling in the neck, swelling in the lymph nodes and pain, hoarseness and difficulty to breath. The causes are exposure to high levels of radiation, inherited genetic syndromes. There are four types of thyroid cancer: papillary, medullary thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, thyroid lymphoma. According to cancercenters Papillary carcinoma is the most common type of thyroid cancer, accounting for approximately 80% of cases. Papillary carcinomas are slow growing, differentiated cancers that develop from follicular cells and can develop in one or both lobes of the thyroid gland. This type of cancer may spread to nearby lymph nodes in the neck, but it is generally treatable with a good prognosis (outlook for survival). Follicular carcinoma is the second most common type of thyroid cancer, and accounts for approximately one out of 10 cases. It is found more frequently in countries with an inadequate dietary intake of iodine. Follicular carcinoma is also a differentiated form of thyroid cancer. In most cases, it is associated with a good prognosis, although it is somewhat more aggressive than papillary cancer. Follicular carcinomas do not usually spread to nearby lymph nodes, but they are more likely than papillary cancers to spread to other organs, like the lungs or the bones. Hurtle cell carcinoma, also known as oxyphil cell carcinoma, is a subtype of follicular carcinoma, and accounts for approximately 3 percent of all thyroid cancers. Medullary thyroid carcinoma develops from C cells in the thyroid gland, and is more aggressive and less differentiated than papillary or follicular cancers. Approximately 4 percent of all thyroid cancers will be of the medullary subtype. These cancers are more likely to spread to lymph nodes and other organs, compared with the more differentiated thyroid cancers. They also frequently

Signs of a problem with the thyroid gland are swelling in the thyroid area of the neck which may or may not be painful. There may also be an enlargement of the thyroid. The doctor will palpate (feel) the throat for swelling or nodules (lumps) on the thyroid gland. Upon scanning the thyroid gland, lumps or nodules could appear which may or may not be cancerous. These nodules can occur in any age group, but most occur in people as they age. The lump may be solid of full of liquid (cystic).

What is thyroid cancer, and is it dangerous? To answer this one must first know the function of the thyroid. A thyroid is a gland at the front of the neck right under the sound box, which secretes hormones that affect heart rate, body temperature and weight. It also makes calcitonin, which keeps a healthy level of calcium in the body. Thyroids are made up of tissue, when the cells that make up the tissue of the thyroid gland start to form unnecessarily, and cells that are damaged are not killed, tumors called nodules form on the thyroid thus resulting in cancer. Around 45,000 women and 15,000 men were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013 alone, most of whom were above the age of 45. However getting thyroid cancer is not the worst thing in the world as it is treatable but there should still be more investment and research put into this disease so that less risky methods of taking out the cancer can be found.

The thyroid gland is the gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and metabolism. Thyroid hormones are essential for the function of every cell in the body. They help regulate growth and the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Thyroid hormones also help children grow and develop. The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam's apple, wrapped around the trachea. It has the shape of a butterfly with two lobes attached to one another by a middle part called the isthmus. The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to make its hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine

A thyroid nodule is an isolated growth of thyroid cells that forms a lump in your thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland. It is found in the lower front of your neck. This gland sends chemical messengers (hormones) through your blood to all parts of your body. These hormones are important for regulating your body temperature and helping your body use energy. Thyroid nodules are common. Most are not cancerous (benign). You may have one or several nodules.

Most thyroid tumors can be readily diagnosed using histopathologic criteria, which allow the pathologist to differentiate benign from malignant lesions and guarantee an accurate classification for the majority of the variants of carcinomas derived from follicular epithelial cells. However, in most cases, the pathologist is confronted with thyroid lesions in which the distinction between benign and malignant can be quite subtle. The decision favoring one or another has clinical consequences and implies different modalities of treatment. For this reason, the approach to these challenging tumors should include ancillary techniques, immunohistochemistry and molecular profiling, that can improve the standard morphologic assessment (3).

Thyroid nodules are lumps in the thyroid often called adenomas. These adenomas are quite common affecting around seven percent our countries population. These lumps on the thyroid can become very active and thus produce a large amount of thyroid hormone. In some cases hyperthyroidism is brought on by consuming too much medication that treats an underactive thyroid.

The thyroid gland is in the middle of the neck and lays over the trachea. It is a very vascular endocrine gland responsible for secreting hormones such as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) (Jarvis, 2015). These hormones stimulate the rate of cellular metabolism (Jarvis, 2015). This gland has two lobes. Both lay posteriorly between the sternomastoid muscle and the trachea (Jarvis, 2015).

Also medically, according to Merriam-Webster, and Mayo Clinic (2014), defines Goiter as an enlargement of the thyroid gland, causing a prominent swelling in the front of the neck. However, Mayo Clinic further, defines Goiter as an abnormal enlargement of your thyroid gland, which is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below your Adam’s apple. It further states that although Goiters are usually painless, a large Goiter can cause a cough and make it difficult for you to swallow or breathe.

Chronic diseases such as hyperthyroidism can be debilitating if not managed well. Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland that secrets too much hormones throughout the body causing many different clinical manifestations within all systems. The thyroid gland is located right underneath the larynx also known as the voice box, and straddling the windpipe.

A thyroid nodule is a discrete lesion within the thyroid gland that is distinguishable from the adjacent parenchyma. Sonographic examination of enlarged nodular thyroids, demonstrated that 66% had multiple nodules, whereas 34% had single nodules. Among these single nodules, 85%–90% were proved to be benign. Adenomatous nodules represent most of benign thyroid nodules (80%), whereas the remaining benign nodules consisted of adenoma, cyst, and focal thyroiditis (1).