Thyroid

Question 1

What is the shape of the Thyroid Gland?

Answer 1

Shield Shaped

Question 2

T/F: The thyroid gland is a epocrine gland?

Answer 2

False: it is an endocrine gland

Question 3

What does the thyroid gland produce?

Answer 3

1) Thyroxine

2) Calcitonin

Question 4

At what spinal levels is the thyroid gland in line with?

Answer 4

Between C5 and T1

Question 5

What is the general shape of the thyroid gland?

Answer 5

H-shaped or U shaped

Question 6

What are the parts of the thyroid gland?

Answer 6

1) Left Lobe
2) Right Lobe
3) Isthmus

Question 7

What anatomical variation of the thyroid gland is present in about 50% of the population?

Answer 7

• A pyramidal lobe

- it extends from the isthmus as a “finger” of glandular tissue

Question 8

what muscle is associated with an anatomical variation of the thyroid gland?

Answer 8

• Levator Glandulae Thyroideae Muscle
• This is a muscle variation of an infrahyoid muscle that connects the isthmus of the thyroid gland with the hyoid bone and it elevates the thyroid gland

Question 9

What is the arterial blood supply of the thyroid gland?

Answer 9

1) Superior Thyroid Artery (from the external carotid artery)
2) Inferior Thyroid Artery (from the thyrocervical trunk)

Question 10

What is the nerve innervation of the thyroid gland?

Answer 10

from the superior, middle and inferior cervical sympathetic ganglia

Question 11

What vessels are the venous drainage from thryoird gland?

Answer 11

1) Superior Thyroid Vein
2) Middle Thyroid Vein
3) Inferior Thyroid Vein

Question 12

What anatomical variation to the arterial supply of the thyroid gland is present in about 10% of the population and what clinical significance does this variation have?

Answer 12

Thyroid Ima Artery

-With the position of this artery, along the isthmus, it makes performing any thyroid procedure very difficult

Question 13

What clinical condition is an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland that produces swelling int eh anterior neck?

Answer 13

Goiter

Question 14

What are the two types of goiter?

Answer 14

1) Endemic Goiter ( due to a dietary deficiency)

2) Exophthalmic goiter (due to autoimmune condition)

Question 15

A deficiency of what mineral causes an endemic goiter?

Answer 15

Iodine

Question 16

The condition of the thyroid resembles hypothyroidism. What condition is this and what are the symptoms?

Answer 16

• Endemic Goiter

- Fatigue, “moon” face, poor thermoregulation (always cold)

Question 17

This condition is characterized by thyroid immunoglobulins binding to iodine receptor cites causing atrophy in the gland. What condition is this and what disease does it lead to?

Answer 17

• Exophthalmic Goiter

- This can lead to Grave’s Disease

Question 18

What are the symptoms of an exophthalmic goiter?

Answer 18

• resemble hyperthyroidism
• increased metabolism
• consistently increased temperature
• increased heart rate
• bulging eyes
• possible heart faliure

Question 19

T/F: In an exophthalmic goiter the hormone is inactive.

Answer 19

False. The thyroid hormones remain active although the body does not respond to it

Question 20

Within the neck, what lies on the posterior surface of the thyroid lobe then goes deep to the lobe?

Answer 20

Recurrent laryngeal nerve

Question 21

What nerve is the most important nerve of the larynx?

Answer 21

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve