Lecture 4: Thyroid Pathology Flashcards
How do patients with thyroid storm typically present; if left untreated what is a common cause of death?
- Febrile and present w/ tachycardia out of proportion to the fever
- Death due to cardiac arrhythmias
What is the MOA of the antithyroid agent, propylthiouracil?
- Inhibits the oxidation of iodide and thus blocks production of thyroid hormone
- Also inhibits the peripheral deiodination of circulating T4 into T3
How does large doses of iodide given to an individual act as a goitrogen?
Blocks release of thyroid hormones by inhibiting the proteolysis of thyroglobulin
Inborn errors of thyroid metabolism causing congenital hypothyroidism is known as what?
Dyshormonogenetic goiter
What is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient areas of the world?
Autoimmune hypothyroidism i.e., Hashimoto thyroiditis
Which circulating autoantibodies are seen in association with Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
- anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO)
- anti-thyroglobulin
What are the clinical features of Cretinism?
- Mental retardation
- Short stature
- Coarse facial features
- Protruding tongue
- Umbilical hernia
What are 2 possible causes of Cretinism?
- Areas w/o iodine supplementation
- Result of genetic alterations in normal thyroid metabolic pathways i.e., dyshormonogenetic goiter
The term Myxedema is applied to what situation?
Hypothyroidism developing in older children or adults
Histologically there is an accumulation of what in Myxedema; leads to what clinical findings?
- Matrix substances, such as glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid in skin, subcutaneous tissue, and some visceral sites
- Leads to nonpitting edema, a broadening and coarsening of facial features, enlarged tongue, and deepening of the voice
Measurement of what in the serum is the best screeing test for both hyper- and hypothyroidism?
Serum TSH
What will levels of TSH be like in pt with primary hypothyroidism and primary hyperthyroidism?
- Primary hypothyroidism = ↑↑↑ TSH
- Primary hyperthyroidism = ↓↓↓ TSH
What is a major cause of nonendemic goiter in the pediatric population?
Hashimoto Thyroiditis
Polymorphisms in which immune-regulation associated genes are implicated in Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
CTLA4 and PTPN22
In Hashimoto Thyroiditis there is diffuse enlargement of the thyroid which is (painful or painless)?
Painless
In Hashimoto Thyroiditis there is extensive infiltration of the parenchyma by what cells and also the development of well-developed what?
- Mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate
- Well-developed germinal centers
What characteristic cell type is seen as part of the metaplastic response to injury in Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
Hurthle cells = atrophic follicle cells w/ eosinophilic change + granular cytoplasm
The presence of what in fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples is characteristic of Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
Hurthle cells + heterogenous population of lymphocytes
How does the fibrosis seen in Hashimoto’s differ from Reidel Thyroiditis?
In Hashimoto’s the fibrosis does NOT extend beyond the capsule of the gland
In the case of Hashitoxicosis what is seen with levels of free T3 and T4, TSH, and radioactive iodine uptake?
- T3 and T4 levels are elevated
- TSH is diminshed
- Radioactive iodine uptake is decreased
Patients with Hashimoto Thyroiditis are at an increased risk of developing what malignancy within the thyroid gland?
Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
Although similar in presentation to Hashimoto’s what morphological features are not as prominent in Subacute Lymphocytic Thyroiditis?
Fibrosis and Hurthle cell metaplasia are NOT prominent
Granulomatous Thyroiditis (De Quervain) is thought to be triggered by what?
Viral infection (i.e., hx of URI just before onset of sx’s)
What histological findings are associated with Subacute thyroiditis (de Quervain)?
- Granulomatous inflammation w/ multinucleate giant cells
- Initially has more neutrophilic infiltrate w/ microabscess formation; then replaced by a more generalized inflammatory infiltrate with macrophages and multinucleated giant cells
Granulomatous thyroiditis (De Quervain) will present with what sized thyroid and other distinguishing feature?
Variably enlarged thyroid that is PAINFUL!
What is the typical course of Granulomatous Thyroiditis (De Quervain)?
- Transient inflammation of thyroid, usually diminishing within 2-6 weeks = Self-limited!
- After recovery, normal thyroid function restored within 6-8 weeks
Riedel thyroiditis is characterized by replacement of thyroid tissue with what and has what type of infiltrate?
Extensive fibrosis of the thyroid and neck structures w/ tissue infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells
Riedel thyroiditis is considered a manifestation of _______ related systemic disease, which includes autoimmune pancreatitis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, and noninfectious aortitis
IgG4-related disease
Riedel thyroiditis presents as a ________ (consistency) and _________ (painful/painless) goiter
Riedel thyroiditis presents as hard as wood/cement and painless goiter
Subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis often occurs in association with what?
After a pregnancy (postpartum thyroiditis)
Although not always present, what is the classic triad of Graves disease?
- Hyperthyroidism w/ gland enlargement = Diffuse hyperplasia
- Infiltrative ophthalmopathy –> exophthalmos
- Pretibial myxedema
Peak incidence of Graves disease is btw what ages; which sex is 10x more affected?
20-40 y/o and 10x more common in women
What is the most common antibody subtype seen in Graves disease?
Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)
What HLA subtypes are associated with Graves disease?
HLA-DR3 and B8
What are the levels of TSH like in Graves Disease?
LOW
The exopthalmos associated with Graves Disease is caused by what underlying process?
- Infiltration of retroorbital space by T cells
- Fibroblasts have TSH receptor and proliferate
- EOM swelling from edema + inflammation
- Accumulation of EC matrix components i.e., GAG and chondroitin sulfate
- ↑ number and expansion of adipocytes
The exopthalmos associated w/ Graves disease appears to stem from activation of which cells in the orbit and via which receptor?
Orbital preadipocyte fibroblasts expressing TSH receptors
Diffuse hypertrophy and hyperplasia of thyroid follicular epithelial cells is characteristic of what?
Graves Disease
What is a histological characteristic of the follicular epithelial cells in untreated Graves Disease?
Taller and more crowded –> formation of small papillae which project into the follicular lumen and encroach on the colloid
How do the papillae seen in graves disease differ histologically from those of papillary carcinoma?
Lack fibrovascular cores
What feature of the colloid is a characteristic histological finding in Graves disease?
Scalloped margins of colloid
How does pre-operative therapy with iodine vs. propylthiouracil alter the morphology of the thyroid in Graves Disease?
- Iodine causes involution of the epithelium and accumulation of colloid
- Propylthiouracil exaggerates the epithelial hypertrophy and hyperplasia
Radioiodine scans of pt with Graves Disease will show what?
Diffusely ↑↑↑ uptake of iodine
Diffuse nontoxic (simple) goiter causes enlargement of the entire gland without producing what?
Nodularity
Toxic multinodular goiter is most often due to _________ mutations
Toxic multinodular goiter is most often due to TSH receptor mutations
What are some of the goitrogens that when ingested in large quantities may lead to the endemic form of diffuse nontoxic goiter?
- Cassava root (thiocyanate)
- Brassicaceae (i.e., cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, turnips..)