General Thyroid Disorders

Question 1

What is the thyroid shaped like?

Answer 1

Shield

Question 2

Where is the thyroid?

Answer 2

Neck

Question 3

What does the thyroid produce?

Answer 3

Thyroxine

Question 4

From where does the thyroid originate

Answer 4

Back of tongue

Question 5

How much does an adult thyroid gland weigh?

Answer 5

20g

Question 6

Name the 4 lobes of the thyroid

Answer 6

Right
Left
Isthmus
Pyramidal

Question 7

Which lobe of the thyroid is largest?

Answer 7

Right

Question 8

What is embedded in the thyroid?

Answer 8

Parathyroid glands

Question 9

What do parathyroid glands do?

Answer 9

Control calcium metabolism

Question 10

What nerve runs very close to thyroid gland?

Answer 10

Left recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 11

Name 3 problems with thyroid development

Answer 11

Agenesis
Incomplete descent
Thyroglossal cyst

Question 12

What is a cretin?

Answer 12

Individual with irreversible brain damage caused by lack of thyroxine

Question 13

How is cretinism prevented?

Answer 13

All babies have heel prick test measuring TSH

If TSH is high, given thyroxine immediately

Question 14

What occurs in thyroid follicular cells?

Answer 14

Thyroxine synthesis

Question 15

What is thyroglobulin?

Answer 15

Protein that holds and stores Thyroxine
In thyroid gland
Not in circulation

Question 16

Where is thyroxine binding globulin?

Answer 16

Circulation

Question 17

How much thyroxine is bound to thyroxine binding globulin?

Answer 17

75%

Question 18

How much free thyroxine is in the circulation?

Answer 18

1%

Question 19

Which gender is thyroid disease more common in?

Answer 19

Females

Question 20

What is primary hypothyroidism also known as?

Answer 20

Primary thyroid failure and Myxoedema

Question 21

What happens to hormone levels in primary hypothyroidism?

Answer 21

Thyroxine levels decline

TSH levels increase

Question 22

What causes primary hypothyroidism?

Answer 22

Autoimmune damage to the thyroid

or operation removing the thyroid

Question 23

What are 7 features of primary hypothyroidism?

Answer 23

Deepening voice
Depression & tiredness
Cold intolerance
Weight gain with reduced appetite 
Constipation
Bradycardia
Eventually myxoedema coma

Question 24

Why is treatment of hypothyroidism essential?

Answer 24

They will perform poorly
Cholesterol increases-> Heart attacks & strokes
Patients will die

Question 25

What will be high if there is insufficient T4?

Answer 25

TSH

Question 26

What is overactive thyroid also known as?

Answer 26

Thyrotoxicosis

Hyperthyroidism

Question 27

What occurs in hyperthyroidism?

Answer 27

Thyroid makes too much thyroxine

Question 28

What are TSH levels in hyperthyroidism?

Answer 28

0 or very low

Question 29

What causes the thyroid to make more thyroxine?

Answer 29

Immune system makes antibody that stimulates receptor in Thyroid to make more thyroxine

Question 30

What happens when there is too much thyroxine?

Answer 30

Every cell in body speeds up
Raised BMR
Raised temperature
Increased HR

Question 31

What are 10 features of hyperthyroidism?

Answer 31

Myopathy- weakness
Mood swings 
Feeling hot in all weather
Diarrhoea 
Weight loss but increased appetite
Tremor of hands
Tiredness
Palpitations 
Sore eyes
Goitre

Question 32

What causes hyperthyroidism?

Answer 32

Graves’ disease

Question 33

What causes Graves’ disease?

Answer 33

Autoimmune
Antibodies bind to and stimulate TSH receptor in the thyroid
Causes goitre (Smooth)

Question 34

What are the other actions of antibodies in graves disease?

Answer 34

Bind to muscles behind eye –> Exophthalmos

Stimulate growth of shins -> Pretibial myxoedema

Question 35

Pretibial myxoedema

Answer 35

Swelling that occurs on shins of patients with Graves’ disease