absite review endocrine - Sheet1 Flashcards
What percentage of T3 is derived from conversion of T4?
80%.
❍ What is the major thyroid hormone-binding protein?
Thyronine-binding globulin (TBG).
❍ What percentage of T4 and T3 are bound?
Greater than 99.5%.
❍ What is the major cause of a decreased T3 concentration in patients with a critical illness?
Impaired peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 secondary to inhibition of the deiodination process.
❍ What factors decrease TSH secretion?
Acute and chronic illness, adrenergic agonists, calorie restriction, dopamine and dopamine agonists, surgical stress, and thyroid hormone metabolites. Minor decreases occur with carbamazepine, clofibrate, opiates, phenytoin, and somatostatin.
❍ A patient with a history of radiation exposure as a child was found to have an enlarged lymph node on physical examination. The lymph node is removed, and there is normal-appearing thyroid tissue in the lymph node. What is the diagnosis?
Papillary thyroid cancer. Treatment is total thyroidectomy, ipsilateral modified radical neck dissection, and postoperative ablative I-131 therapy. Bilateral neck dissection is reserved for clinically apparent bilateral nodal disease.
❍ Name some negative prognostic variables for papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Age >70 years, vascular/lymphatic tumor invasion, high-grade tumor, and extrathyroid capsular extension.
❍ What is the embryologic origin of the thyroid gland?
From median downgrowth of the first and second pharyngeal pouches in the area of the foramen cecum.
❍ What is the embryologic origin of the parafollicular cells?
From the ultimobranchial bodies of the fourth and fifth branchial pouches. Neuroendocrine cell lineage.
❍ What is the effect of pressor doses of dopamine on TSH regulation?
It decreases TSH levels to normal in patients with preexisting hypothyroidism.
❍ What accounts for the low T4 state seen in critically ill patients?
A decrease in the binding of T4 to serum protein carriers, decreased TSH level, decreased production of T4, and an increase in the nondeiodinative pathways of T4 metabolism.
❍ What is the free T4 index (FTI)?
FTI = total T4 × T3 resin uptake.
❍ What genetic mutation is associated with medullary thyroid cancer?
RET proto-oncogene.
❍ What is the first test after H+P to evaluate a thyroid nodule?
Fine needle aspiration (FNA).
❍ Can radioactive iodine be given safely in pregnancy?
No.
❍ What signs and symptoms are associated with hypothyroidism?
Decreased mental acuity, hoarseness, somnolence, cold intolerance, dry skin, brittle hair, weight gain, hypothermia, generalized edema, hypoventilation, sinus bradycardia, and, possibly, hypertension.
❍ T/F: Cardiac output (CO) is decreased in hypothyroidism..
TRUE
❍ What are the causes of alveolar hypoventilation in myxedematous hypothyroid patients?
Respiratory center depression with decreased CO2 sensitivity, defective respiratory muscle strength, and possible airway obstruction caused by tongue enlargement.
❍ What laboratory abnormalities are associated with hypothyroidism?
Hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and a normochromic normocytic anemia.
❍ What hormone should uniformly be given with thyroid replacement in the hypothyroid myxedematous patient?
Hydrocortisone.
❍ When calcium is difficult to replace post parathyroidectomy with vitamin D and calcium alone, what electrolyte abnormality should be sought?
Hypomagnesemia. Low magnesium induces skeletal muscle resistance to PTH.
❍ What electrolyte ratio is pathonomonic for hyperparathyroidism?
Serum chloride to phosphate ratio >30.
❍ What are the hemodynamics of thyroid storm?
Tachycardia, increased CO, and decreased systemic vascular resistance (SVR).
❍ What muscle of the larynx is not innervated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve?
Cricothyroid—innervated by superior laryngeal nerve.
❍ What artery do all the parathyroids typically receive their blood supply from?
Inferior thyroid.
❍ Which oncogene is hyperparathyroidism associated with?
Prad oncogene.
❍ What is the utility of intraoperative parathyroid hormone assays?
A 50% drop in serum PTH at 5 minutes post offending gland removal vs. preoperative value confirms therapeutic resection.
❍ What bone finding is pathognomonic finding for hyperparathyroidism?
Osteitis fibrosa cystica.
❍ T/F: Hyperparathyroid is most commonly associated with four-gland hyperplasia.
False. Solitary parathyroid adenoma is the most common etiology.
❍ What are the ophthalmologic signs of hyperthyroidism?
Exophthalmos, lid lag, lid retraction, and periorbital swelling.
❍ What laboratory findings are associated with hyperthyroidism?
Hypercalcemia, hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, hypocholesterolemia, microcytic anemia, lymphocytosis, granulocytopenia, hyperbilirubinemia, and increased alkaline phosphatase.
❍ What is the initial treatment of thyroid storm?
Intravenous fluids, hypothermia, acetaminophen, propanolol, propylthiouracil (PTU), and iodine.
❍ What are the CNS manifestations of myxedema?
Depression, memory loss, ataxia, frank psychosis, myxedema, and coma.
❍ What is the mechanism of hyponatremia in hypothyroidism?
Impaired water excretion related to decreased delivery of sodium and volume to the distal renal tubules secondary to decreased renal blood flow.
❍ What are the common causes of hypothyroidism?
Cessation of thyroid medication, autoimmune thyroid disease, decreased TSH, radioactive and surgical ablation, and iodine deficiency/excess.
❍ What is the first thyroid function test abnormality seen in patients with hypothyroidism?
TSH elevation (usually associated with a low T4).
❍ What single test would allow for the differentiation of thryotoxicosis from acute destructive viral thryoiditis?
A radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) test.
❍ Why is the pulse pressure wide in patients with thyrotoxicosis?
Increased blood flow and vasodilatation.
❍ What inhibits the release of TSH?
Elevated circulating levels of T3, T4, and somatostatin.
❍ A 45-year-old female presents with a 2-year history of diffuse, tender thyroid enlargement; lethargy; and a 20-pound weight gain. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
❍ What is the appropriate treatment for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis?
Thyroid replacement therapy.
❍ How is TSH deficiency diagnosed?
Simultaneous measurement of basal serum TSH and thyroid.
❍ What test is used to distinguish a hypothalamic defect from a pituitary defect in a patient with hypothyroidism?
The TRH stimulation test.
❍ What is the appropriate treatment for patients with thyroglossal duct cysts?
Excision of the entire cyst, as well as the thyroglossal tract to its origin, at the foramen cecum, including the central portion of the hyoid bone.
❍ What is the venous drainage of the thyroid gland?
The superior and middle thyroid veins drain into the internal jugular vein and the inferior thyroid veins drain into the innominate vein.
❍ What is the result of unilateral injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve?
Hoarseness.
❍ What is the most common location of the recurrent laryngeal nerve?
In the tracheoesophageal groove.
❍ What is the result of bilateral injury to the superior laryngeal nerve?
Swallowing disorders.
❍ What is the mechanism of action of PTU?
PTU interferes with the incorporation of iodine into the tyrosine residues of thyroglobulin, preventing oxidation of iodide to iodine. It also inhibits the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 and is contraindicated in pregnancy.
❍ What is the definitive, nonsurgical treatment for Grave’s disease?
I-131 radioablation.
❍ FNA of a 6-year-old child with a solitary thyroid nodule is benign. What is the next recommended step?
Open surgical biopsy given the high false-negative rate of FNA in children, in whom 50% of cold nodules are malignant.
❍ What are the indications for surgical treatment of Grave’s disease?
Extremely large glands, presence of nodules, women of childbearing age, and patients who are opposed to radioiodine.
❍ What is the preferred treatment for patients with toxic multinodular goiter?
Thyroid resection (lobectomy to total thyroidectomy) because I-131 treatment often requires repeated doses, does not reduce goiter size, and may even cause acute enlargement. Surgical resection avoids airway obstruction, esophageal dysfunction, recurrent nerve compression, SVC syndrome, and malignant transformation.
❍ A 35-year-old female presents with a diffuse, slowly growing goiter, weight gain, fatigue, and cold intolerance. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
❍ What is the single most important test in the diagnostic workup of a patient with a solitary thyroid nodule?
FNA.
❍ For which thyroid malignancy does radiation exposure increase the incidence?
Papillary cell CA.
❍ What is Hurthle cell carcinoma?
A variant of follicular cell CA. Size is the only predictor of malignancy when Hurthle cells are seen on FNA (resection is Tx). Malignancy is defined by histological invasion of cells into thyroid capsule or vessels. Hurthle cell CA is associated with a history of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
A 44-year-old male presents with a 5-cm thyroid nodule. FNA returns fluid, the nodule disappears, and the cytology is benign. What is the next step in management?
Total thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy should be considered because there is an increased chance of malignancy in large cysts of this size (>3 cm).
❍ A 56-year-old male with no risk factors presents with a thyroid nodule. The FNA is nondiagnostic (follicular cells). What is the treatment of choice?
Thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy. If final pathology reveals follicular carcinoma, secondary surgery for completion total thyroidectomy with postoperative ablative I-131 is indicated.
❍ What percentage of patients with usual papillary carcinoma (greater than 1 cm) are found to have multicentric disease on pathologic examination of the entire thyroid?
70% to 80%.
❍ What percentage of patients with papillary carcinoma have cervical lymph node involvement?
30%.
❍ What factor best correlates with the presence of lymph note metastases in papillary carcinoma?
Age.
❍ What is the treatment of choice for patients with papillary thyroid cancer without clinical evidence of lymph node metastasis?
Total thyroidectomy.
❍ A patient is noted to have a very high calcium and a palpable rock hard neck mass. What is your diagnosis?
Parathyroid adenocarcinoma; Tx: wide excision with en block resection of adjacent thyroid tissue.
❍ Classify the MEN syndromes.
MEN 1—PPP—pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, pituitary adenoma, hyperparathyroidism (four gland hyperplasia, not adenoma) MEN 2a—medullary thyroid, pheochromocytoma, and hyperparathyroidism MEN 2b—medullary thyroid, pheo, and mucosal neuromas/marfan syndrome. All three exhibit autosomal-dominant inheritance. MEN 1 is associated with a chromosome 11 tumor-suppressor gene mutation and is also associated with an increased risk of carcinoid tumors.
❍ Characterize carcinoid tumors.
Neuroendocrine cell etiology. Can occur throughout the GI tract or bronchi. Carcinoid syndrome characterized by flushing, diarrhea, and right-sided heart failure most commonly occurs with metastatic disease and mid-gut tumors. Treatment for syndrome or metastasis is octreotide. Isolated mets can be resected.
❍ A 36-year-old female presents with a 3-cm papillary carcinoma and no clinical evidence of lymph node involvement. She was treated with a total thyroidectomy. What adjuvant therapy is indicated?
TSH suppression with thyroid hormone, radioiodine ablation with I-131, follow-up scan 6 months after ablation with thyroglobulin levels, and physical examination.
❍ Follicular carcinoma metastases occur primarily by what route?
Hematogenous dissemination to the lungs, bones, and other peripheral tissues.
❍ How is the pathologic diagnosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma confirmed?
Identification of vascular or capsular invasion by the tumor from histologic sections.
❍ What are the indications for adjuvant thyroid hormone in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma?
All patients with well-differentiated carcinoma should be treated with thyroid hormone to suppress TSH for life, regardless of the extent of their surgery.
❍ What is the surgical treatment for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)?
Total thyroidectomy with central node dissection, lateral cervical lymph node sampling of palpable nodes, and a modified radical neck dissection, if positive.
❍ A germline defect in what gene is responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasias (MEN 2a and 2b) and familiar medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC)?
The RET proto-oncogene. Patients with this mutation should undergo prophylactic thyroidectomy before the age of 10 years.
❍ T/F: Exposure to low-dose radiation therapy is considered a risk factor for thyroid carcinoma.
True.
❍ What are the histochemical characteristics of MTC?
Congo red dye positive, apple-green birefringence consistent with amyloid, immunohistochemistry positive for cytokeratins, CEA, and calcitonin. Parafollicular C cells are the precursor to tumor cells.
❍ A patient with MTC has a high urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and an enlarged left adrenal gland. What is the next step in management?
Medical management with alpha- and beta-blockers, if necessary, followed by resection of the left adrenal gland. This should be performed before the thyroid surgery.
❍ What is the embryological origin of the parathyroid glands?
The inferior parathyroid glands originate from the third pharyngeal pouch, and the superior parathyroid glands originate from the fourth pharyngeal pouch.
❍ What is the arterial blood supply to the parathyroids?
It is usually from the inferior thyroid artery. Occasionally, it can arise from the superior thyroid artery, thyroid ima artery or arteries in the larynx, esophagus, or mediastinum.
❍ Where are the inferior parathyroids located?
They are usually more ventral than the superior glands and lie close to or within that portion of the thymus gland that extends from the inferior pole of the thyroid gland into the chest. They are typically located inferior to the junction of the inferior thyroid artery.
❍ What are the etiologies of hypercalcemia?
Hyperparathyroidism, paraneoplastic syndrome, metastatic CA, bone metastasis, milk–alkali syndrome, and sarcoidosis.
❍ What is the effect of PTH on the intestinal absorption of calcium?
PTH stimulates vitamin D hydroxylation in the kidney and increases intestinal absorption of calcium.
❍ Where is calcitonin produced?
In the parafollicular cells (C cells) of the thyroid.
❍ What are the laboratory findings in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia?
Low urine calcium (normal or high in hyperparathyroidism), hypermagnesemia, hypercalcemia. Associated with autosomal-dominant inheritance.
❍ A 48-year-old male has a serum calcium of 13 mg/dL and a serum PTH of 400 mEq/mL. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Primary hyperparathyroidism.
❍ A 35-year-old female has a serum calcium of 8.5 mg/dL, a serum PTH of 400 mEq/mL, and a serum creatinine of 5.6 mg/dL. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Secondary hyperparathyroidism.
❍ What are the indications for parathyroid exploration in patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic hyperparathyroidism?
- Age less than 50 years. 2. Markedly elevated serum calcium. 3. History of an episode of life-threatening hypercalcemia. 4. Decreased creatinine clearance. 5. Nephrolithiasis. 6. Markedly elevated 24-hour urinary calcium excretion. 7. Substantially decreased bone mass. 8. The patient requests surgery. 9. Poor follow-up expected. 10. Coexistent illness complicating conservative management.
❍ T/F: After successful surgical treatment of parathyroid pathology, renal stone formation rate returns to that of patients with a history of idiopathic renal stone formation history (30%).
True.
❍ What percentage of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism have a single adenoma?
80%.
❍ During exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism, three normal parathyroid glands are found but the fourth cannot be identified. What is the next step in management?
Extend the exploration through the existing incision, to include the central neck between the carotids, posteriorly to the vertebral body, superiorly to the level of the pharynx and carotid bulb, and inferiorly into the mediastinum.
❍ What intraoperative modality may assist in locating an intrathyroidal parathyroid gland?.
Ultrasound
❍ What is the appropriate management if the fourth parathyroid gland cannot be located by intraoperative ultrasound?
Terminate the operation for localization studies.
❍ What voice problem will a patient have if there is injury to external branch of superior laryngeal nerve?
Loss of high-pitched tone.
❍ What is the most reliable method of differentiating a parathyroid adenoma from parathyroid hyperplasia?
Visual inspection of all four parathyroid glands.
❍ What are the components of the MEN 1 syndrome?
Parathyroid hyperplasia (90%), islet cell neoplasms (30%–80%), and pituitary tumors (15%–50%).