[Thyroid glands as an object of morphometric study].
Standardization of the morphometric studies of the thyroid is performed. The following table for a semiquantitative analysis of thyroid morphofunctional state is given: 1) epithelial components with characteristics of main cell types and their proliferative activity; 2) stromal components; 3) some pathologic changes (cyst, hemorrhages, etc.). A quantitative study of the thyroid includes: I) on the organ (macroscopic level)--thyroid volume, weight, length, width, height; II) light microscopy: point counting, stereological methods. Main parameters: 1) epithelial components (18 indices are suggested); 2) proliferative activity (7 indices: nuclear diameter and surface, mitotic activity, etc.); 3) desquamation (mean number of cells per follicle, relative volume of the desquamated epithelium); 4) colloid characteristics; 5) stromal characteristics; 6) vascular characteristics; III) electron microscopy. The first stage of the morphometric study is a description, then semiquantitative method supported by a deep morphometric analysis with the use of statistics.
Khmel'nitskaiaOK
Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, St. Petersburg.
Tret'iakova
M S
MS
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012015:Reference Standards; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*