Thyroid & parathyroid
Thyroiditis
Silent thyroiditis
Author: Shahid Islam, M.D., Ph.D.
Last author update: 1 March 2009
Last staff update: 17 August 2023
Copyright: 2003-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: silent thyroiditis
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Epidemiology | Etiology | Clinical features | Laboratory | Case reports | Treatment | Gross description | Microscopic (histologic) description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Islam S. Silent thyroiditis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/thyroidsilentthyroiditis.html. Accessed April 23rd, 2024.
Definition / general
- Transient, painless hyperthyroidism that spontaneously resolves
Terminology
- Also called painless or sometimes chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis
Epidemiology
- Relatively uncommon; usually women
Etiology
- Cause unknown, although hyperfunction is due to destruction of thyroid follicles
Clinical features
- Rarely recurrent (Thyroid 2007;17:671) or familial (Endocr J 2005;52:617)
- Interferon may cause evolution to Graves' disease (Eur J Endocrinol 2006;154:367)
Laboratory
- Elevated T3 / T4, low radioactive iodine uptake
Case reports
- 48 year old patient taking lithium (Rev Med Interne 2007;28:46)
Treatment
- Usually none, beta blockers possibly in hyperthyroid phase
Gross description
- Diffuse goiter or slightly enlarged thyroid gland
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Preserved lobular pattern with follicular destruction, variable lymphocytic infiltrate, rare / no oncocytic change, no / focal fibrosis
- T cells present in paracortex, B cells predominate in germinal center
Differential diagnosis
- Chronic thyroiditis: usually no follicular destruction
- Post-partum thyroiditis: similar but during pregnancy
