title: A case of thymic enlargement in hyperthyroidism in a young woman.
abstract: We present the case of a 24-year-old woman with thymic enlargement accompanied by hyperthyroidism. An x-ray incidentally detected her thymic enlargement and the size was estimated to be 226 cm(3) by computed tomography (CT) using three-dimensional analysis. Physical examination revealed a soft diffuse goiter, increased sweating and restlessness; thyroid function tests showed hyperthyroidism. Because the possibility of a thymoma could not be completely excluded, a mediastinal biopsy via a supracervical approach was done that determined the specimen was composed of normal thymic tissue. Together with these findings, the patient's thymic enlargement was likely to be consistent with true thymic hyperplasia. Moreover, we have demonstrated the presence of the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor in her thymus using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). She was treated with methimazole, resulting in the resolution of not only the thyroid dysfunction but also thymic enlargement. Thymic enlargement has often been recognized as a complication of hyperthyroidism. However, the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying these conditions remain obscure. Our result raises the speculation that the thymus is also a target organ of autoimmune attack as are the orbital and fibroblasts, which lead to Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial dermopathy, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi, Japan. tomoatsu@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoatsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: Shoichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagasaka
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Masatomo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: San-e
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011989:Receptors, Thyrotropin