Thyroid and Parathyroid Conditions
Thyroid Conditions
What is the Thyroid Gland?
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the front of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. It produces thyroid hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism, influencing heart rate, body temperature, and energy levels.
Common Thyroid Conditions
Thyroid Nodules: These are lumps that commonly occur within an otherwise normal thyroid gland. While most are benign, some can be cancerous or cause symptoms due to size or hormone production.
Goitre: An enlargement of the thyroid gland, which can cause a visible swelling in the neck and may lead to difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Hyperthyroidism: A condition where the thyroid is overactive, producing excessive hormones, leading to symptoms like weight loss, rapid heartbeat, and nervousness.
Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid that doesn’t produce enough hormones, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
Thyroid Cancer: A malignant tumour of the thyroid gland, often presenting as a painless lump in the neck or detected on imaging
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis typically involves blood tests to assess hormone levels, imaging studies such as ultrasound, and fine-needle aspiration biopsies for suspicious nodules.
Treatment options vary based on the condition:
Medication: To regulate hormone levels in cases of hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
Radioactive Iodine Therapy: Commonly used for hyperthyroidism and certain types of thyroid cancer.
Surgery: Indicated for large goitres, suspicious nodules, or confirmed thyroid cancer. Surgical options include partial or total thyroidectomy.
Parathyroid Conditions
What are the Parathyroid Glands?
The parathyroid glands are four small glands located behind the thyroid gland. They produce parathyroid hormone (PTH), which regulates calcium levels in the blood and bone metabolism.
Common Parathyroid Conditions
Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A condition where one or more parathyroid glands become overactive, leading to elevated calcium levels, which can cause kidney stones, osteoporosis, and abdominal pain.
Parathyroid Adenoma: A benign tumour of a parathyroid gland, often the cause of primary hyperparathyroidism.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis involves blood tests showing elevated calcium and PTH levels, along with imaging studies such as sestamibi scans, CT scans or ultrasounds to localise the overactive gland.
The primary treatment is surgical removal of the overactive gland(s). Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is often possible when preoperative imaging successfully localises the abnormal gland. In experienced hands, surgery cures the condition in about 98% of cases.