Thyroid Shielding in Radiographic Procedures: Fit vs Dose

The thyroid gland is a vital hormone gland that plays a major role in the metabolism, growth and development of the human body. The thyroid gland is among the most radiosensitive organs. The usage of thyroid shields by healthcare professionals is an essential precaution for radiation protection. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if thyroid shield fit affects radiation dose received to the thyroid gland. The fit was recorded by measuring from the jugular notch or location of thyroid, to the inside of the thyroid shield. Qualitative data was collected by interviewing staff technologists on whether or not they thought thyroid shield fit was important

Glycosylation in the thyroid gland : vital aspects of glycoprotein function in thyrocyte physiology and thyroid disorders

The key proteins responsible for hormone synthesis in the thyroid are glycosylated. Oligosaccharides strongly affect the function of glycosylated proteins. Both thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secreted by the pituitary gland and TSH receptors on the surface of thyrocytes contain N-glycans, which are crucial to their proper activity. Thyroglobulin (Tg), the protein backbone for synthesis of thyroid hormones, is a heavily N-glycosylated protein, containing 20 putative N-glycosylated sites. N-oligosaccharides play a role in Tg transport into the follicular lumen, where thyroid hormones are produced, and into thyrocytes, where hyposialylated Tg is degraded. N-glycans of the cell membrane transporters sodium/iodide symporter and pendrin are necessary for iodide transport. Some changes in glycosylation result in abnormal activity of the thyroid and alteration of the metabolic clearance rate of hormones. Alteration of glycan structures is a pathological process related to the progression of chronic diseases such as thyroid cancers and autoimmunity. Thyroid carcinogenesis is accompanied by changes in sialylation and fucosylation, β1,6-branching of glycans, the content and structure of poly-LacNAc chains, as well as O-GlcNAcylation, while in thyroid autoimmunity the main processes affected are sialylation and fucosylation. The glycobiology of the thyroid gland is an intensively studied field of research, providing new data helpful in understanding the role of the sugar component in thyroid protein biology and disorders

Overview of thyroid gland characteristics in pregnancy using ultrasonography as an assessment tool

Thyroid gland is one of the most common gland affected during pregnancy as it responds to the increased physiological demands of iodine and energy during pregnancy. Any thyroid dysfunction can result in abortion, preterm labor or affects fetal neurodevelopment. Various anthropometric factors or genetic factors apart from iodine intake are known to affect the size of thyroid gland. Changes in thyroid gland morphology can be easily measured using ultrasonography as clinically the enlargement can be labelled as goiter. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the changes in thyroid gland during pregnancy and assess the different factors affecting its size across the various studies as the literature data concerning the thyroid gland enlargement during pregnancy is controversial. Various articles on thyroid volume changes during pregnancy from literature were reviewed along with a cross-sectional observation done in a government hospital setup in India, on 240 patients who were divided into 4 groups of 60 patients each which included non-pregnant females in group 1 and pregnant females in all three trimesters respectively in the rest 3 groups. Thyroid gland morphology and its characteristics such as volume, nodularity, echogenicity and vascularity were measured using high frequency ultrasonography in each group and then compared. Thyroid volume in the third trimester group (7.24±1.16 ml) was found to be significantly greater (p<0.001) than in the non-pregnant group (5.44±0.82 ml). BMI was found to be the highest in third trimester group as expected. Even in iodine sufficient areas we found thyroid gland volume to increase during pregnancy from non-pregnant group along with thyroid gland nodularity. Vascularity assessed based on CDFS pattern shows pattern I to be most common. Variation in thyroid gland characteristics between pregnant and non-pregnant controls was found

Reaction of chickens to graduated length of exposure to stress

The reactions of 60 day old chickens Arbor Acres 60 X Vantress to immobilization stress lasting 1/2, 1, 2, 4 hours and to application of ACTH, manifested by activity changes in the systems hypophysis-adrenal gland and hypophysis-thyroid gland were studied. The highest activity increase in the two neuro-endocrine systems of the chickens was found to occur after 1/2 hour exposure to stress. With prolonged stress the responses weakened and after 4 hours most of the values gradually regressed to their initial level. The responses of both systems were synchronized. Reactions of the chickens differed from those of laboratory rats in which an increased activity of the hypophysis-adrenal gland system coincided with attenuation of the hypophysis-thyroid gland system

A Patient-Specific Treatment Model for Graves’ Hyperthyroidism

Background: Graves’ is disease an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland caused by circulating anti-thyroid receptor antibodies (TRAb) in the serum. TRAb mimics the action of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and stimulates the thyroid hormone receptor (TSHR), which results in hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) and goiter. Methimazole (MMI) is used for hyperthyroidism treatment for patients with Graves’ disease. Methods: We have developed a model using a system of ordinary differential equations for hyperthyroidism treatment with MMI. The model has four state variables, namely concentration of MMI (in mg/L), concentration of free thyroxine - FT4 (in pg/mL), and concentration of TRAb (in U/mL) and the functional size of the thyroid gland (in mL) with thirteen parameters. With a treatment parameter, we simulate the time-course of patients’ progression from hyperthyroidism to euthyroidism (normal condition). We validated the model predictions with data from four patients. Results: When there is no MMI treatment, there is a unique asymptotically stable hyperthyroid state. After the initiation of MMI treatment, the hyperthyroid state moves towards subclinical hyperthyroidism and then euthyroidism. Conclusion: We can use the model to describe or test and predict patient treatment schedules. More specifically, we can fit the model to individual patients’ data including loading and maintenance doses and describe the mechanism, hyperthyroidism → euthyroidism. The model can be used to predict when to discontinue the treatment based on FT4 levels within the physiological range, which in turn help maintain the remittance of euthyroidism and avoid relapses of hyperthyroidism. Basically, the model can guide with decision-making on oral intake of MMI based on FT4 levels

Hyperthyroidism in cats, part I : anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and imaging

In the first part of this review article, thyroid anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology are reviewed to continue more specifically on hyperthyroidism, the most common thyroid disorder in cats. The diagnostic work-up of this disorder is discussed with emphasis on thyroid gland imaging. Scintigraphy is most commonly used and best suited to assess thyroid function, which will be discussed extensively in the second part of this review article. All other available imaging modalities do not offer a functional assessment and are therefore of limited use in the diagnosis and evaluation of hyperthyroidism

Cytomorphological alterations of thyroid gland consequent upon fluorosis

Background: Study aimed at assessing the impact of elevated fluoride from drinking water on thyroid gland structure and function in fluorosis prone areas. Iodine is incorporated in the thyroid synthesis by thyroid gland but in the presence of low Iodine levels fluoride is likely to interfere with the concentrating capacity of thyroid of iodine in thyroid production, consequently reflecting changes in thyroid parameters and also cytomorphological features manifesting hypothyroidism in association with different pathological entities.Methods: Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh is fluorosis prone zone and subjects are picked up from highly vulnerable zone in this district and their specimens are collected to study cytomorphological changes of the thyroid gland and biochemical parameters of blood samples for thyroid function test were considered. Cytological study by way of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of thyroid gland, biochemical parameters pertaining to function of thyroid gland namely Free triiodothyronine (FT3), Free Thyroxine (FT4) and Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were assessed in the subjects from fluorosis prone zone.Results: The results were statistically significant with concurrent association of different cytological alterations of thyroid gland in these subjects like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis of hypothyroidism, adenomatous goitre, colloid goitre and few of follicular adenoma/neoplasm. FNAC makes cytological changes evident showing different morphological features that comprise different pathological entities largely with an evidence of hypothyroidism in most of the cases in the given study.Conclusions: The results of the study strongly suggest assessing the magnitude of the problem of fluorosis and also magnitude of its influence on thyroid structure and function that warrants assessment of the thyroid function by biochemical and cytological studies

A Review of Thyroid Disorder Detection Using Medical Images

Thyroid is one of the largest endocrine gland. It is a small butterfly shaped gland which is located in the front portion of the neck.It is located just below the Adams apple. Thyroid gland produces hormones that help the body to control metabolism. There are various thyroid disorders.It includes Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, goiter and thyroid nodules (benign/malignant). is most commonly. Various modalities that are used to detect and classify abnormalities of the thyroid gland are Ultrasoundimaging,(ComputerTomography(CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI). Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) help radiologists and doctors to increase the diagnosis accuracy, reduce biopsy ratio and save their time and effort. Thyroid medical images are utilized for the diagnosis process

January 2021

National Thyroid Awareness Month The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the base of the neck and its job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should. It is vitally important to ensure your thyroid gland is healthy and functioning properly.https://dc.swosu.edu/wellness/1038/thumbnail.jp

Lingual thyroid our experience

Lingual thyroid is an uncommon congenital disorder of thyroid gland development, resulting in alack of descend of the gland from foramen caecum to its normal prelaryngeal location. In this paperwe discuss a series of cases of ectopic thyroid gland its incidence, clinical presentation, sex ratio,age group, endocrine status, radiological features and appropriate surgical approaches.