Thyroid

endocrine gland in the neck; secretes hormones that influence metabolism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Remove ads

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.

Remove ads

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)