The clinician and the thyroid.
The goiter prevalence in iodine-deficient regions is up to 25%-54%. The most frequent disease in these endemic areas is non-toxic goiter, which is, however, oftentimes connected with autonomously functioning thyroid tissue leading to borderline or overt hyperthyroidism. Other thyroid diseases like cancer, thyroiditis and hypothyroidism play only a minor role in a thyroid clinic, while cases of Graves' disease may be observed more frequently. The most cost-effective tools to evaluate thyroid patients are the hand, ear and mouth of the thyroid clinician. The differential diagnosis of thyroid disorders may be evaluated by a battery of diagnostic tools like in-vitro tests and high performance imaging modalities. Once the diagnosis is established, the appropriate therapeutic procedures (drugs, radioiodine, surgery) have to be chosen. This review should be considered as a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases. In addition, special problems concerning elderly patients and pregnant women are discussed, including the differential diagnosis of thyroid diseases.
Biersack
H J
HJ
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany.
Hotze
A
A
D000367:Age Factors; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests