Thyroid Flashcards
T3 or T4 more active?
T3 (3-8x more potent)
T3 or T4 longer half life?
T3 more active, T4 longer half life
What are the components of a complete thyroid assessment?
- Serum thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, T4)
- Antibodies
- Thyroglobulin
- Thyroid imaging/scans
- Biopsy (FNA)
What are the indications for free T3/T4 testing?
- Secondary or tertiary hyper/hypothyroidism suspected
- Normal TSH levels despite symptoms of hyper/hypo
What increases TBG?
Pregnancy, OCP, acute infectious hepatitis, biliary cirrhosis
What decreases TBG?
Androgens, glucocorticoids, cirrhosis, hyponatremia, phenytoin, ASA, NSAIDs, nephrotic syndrome.
Which Abs raised in Hashimoto’s?
TgAb
Thyroid peroxidase Abs
TSH receptor inhibiting antibodies
Which Abs raised in Grave’s disease?
Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI)
What is the the use of plasma thyroglobulin?
Monitor residual thyroid activity post-thyroidectomy (e.g. for thyroid cancer recurrence - normal/elevated levels suggest persistent, recurrent or metastatic disease)
Normal thyroid size?
15-20g
What is the purpose of thyroid ultrasound?
Measure size of gland, solid v cystic nodule, facilitate FNA biopsy
What is the purpose of radioisotope thyroid scan?
With Technetium-99. Test of STRUCTURE.
- order if nodule and pt is hyperthyroid with low TSH
- Differentiates hot (0% chance malignancy) v cold nodules (5% chance malignancy)
What is radioactive iodine uptake scan?
Test of FUNCTION.
- Order if pt is hyperthyroid
- RAIU measures turnover of iodine by thyroid gland in vivo
- Increased uptake = hyperthyroid
- Decreased uptake = gland leaking (thyroiditis); exogenous thyroid hormone intake
Indications for thyroidectomy?
- Malignancy
- Symptomatic goitre
- Medically refractory hyperthyroidism (i.e. Graves)
Thyroidectomy contraindications?
- Uncontrolled Graves (concerns re thyroid storm)
- Pregnancy (postpone surgery IF possible: ind in aggressive ca or airway compromise)