eMedicine Specialties > Endocrinology > Thyroid

Subacute Thyroiditis: Multimedia

Author: Stephanie L Lee, MD, PhD, Fellow, Association of Clinical Endocrinology; Director of Thyroid Nodule and Cancer Center, Associate Chief, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston Medical Center; Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
Coauthor(s): Sonia Ananthakrishnan, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Apr 27, 2009

Multimedia

Three multinuclear, giant cell granulomas observe...
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Media file 1: Three multinuclear, giant cell granulomas observed in a fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid; from a patient with thyrotoxicosis from lymphocytic or subacute granulomatous thyroiditis.
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Three multinuclear, giant cell granulomas observe...

Three multinuclear, giant cell granulomas observed in a fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid; from a patient with thyrotoxicosis from lymphocytic or subacute granulomatous thyroiditis.

Absence of iodine-123 (<SUP><FONT size=-1>123</FO...
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Media file 2: Absence of iodine-123 (123I) radioactive iodine uptake in a patient with thyrotoxicosis and lymphocytic (subacute painless) thyroiditis. Laboratory studies at the time of the scan demonstrated the following: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), less than 0.06 mIU/mL; total thyroxine (T4), 21.2 mcg/dL (reference range, 4.5-11); total triiodothyronine (T3), 213 ng/dL (reference range, 90-180); T3-to-T4 ratio, 10; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), 10 mm/h. The absence of thyroid uptake, the low T3-to-T4 ratio, and the low ESR confirm the diagnosis of lymphocytic thyroiditis.
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Absence of iodine-123 (<SUP><FONT size=-1>123</FO...

Absence of iodine-123 (123I) radioactive iodine uptake in a patient with thyrotoxicosis and lymphocytic (subacute painless) thyroiditis. Laboratory studies at the time of the scan demonstrated the following: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), less than 0.06 mIU/mL; total thyroxine (T4), 21.2 mcg/dL (reference range, 4.5-11); total triiodothyronine (T3), 213 ng/dL (reference range, 90-180); T3-to-T4 ratio, 10; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), 10 mm/h. The absence of thyroid uptake, the low T3-to-T4 ratio, and the low ESR confirm the diagnosis of lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Example of laboratory values during subacute gran...
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Media file 3: Example of laboratory values during subacute granulomatous thyroiditis. The entire episode may evolve through all 3 phases over a period of as long as 6 months.
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Example of laboratory values during subacute gran...

Example of laboratory values during subacute granulomatous thyroiditis. The entire episode may evolve through all 3 phases over a period of as long as 6 months.

More on Subacute Thyroiditis

Overview: Subacute Thyroiditis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Subacute Thyroiditis
Treatment & Medication: Subacute Thyroiditis
Follow-up: Subacute Thyroiditis
Multimedia: Subacute Thyroiditis
References
Further Reading
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References

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  2. Desailloud R, Hober D. Viruses and thyroiditis: an update. Virol J. Jan 12 2009;6:5. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  3. Filippi U, Brizzolara R, Venuti D, et al. Prevalence of post-partum thyroiditis in Liguria (Italy): an observational study. J Endocrinol Invest. Dec 2008;31(12):1063-8. [Medline].

  4. Omori N, Omori K, Takano K. Association of the ultrasonographic findings of subacute thyroiditis with thyroid pain and laboratory findings. Endocr J. Jul 2008;55(3):583-8. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  5. Nishimaki M, Isozaki O, Yoshihara A, Okubo Y, Takano K. Clinical characteristics of frequently recurring painless thyroiditis: contributions of higher thyroid hormone levels, younger onset, male gender, presence of thyroid autoantibody and absence of goiter to repeated recurrence. Endocr J. Feb 18 2009;[Medline]. [Full Text].

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Keywords

subacute thyroiditis, thyroid, hypothyroidism, thyroid disease, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroid, thyroid symptoms, thyroiditis, hyperthyroid, thyroid hormone, symptoms of thyroid, symptoms of thyroid problems, thyroid disorder, thyroxine, thyroid disorders, thyroid tests, thyroid hormones, T3 thyroid, T4 thyroid, thyrotoxicosis, postpartum thyroiditis, triiodothyronine, lymphocytic thyroiditis, de Quervain's, silent thyroiditis, de Quervain thyroiditis, subacute painless thyroiditis, subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis, subacute postpartum thyroiditis, subacute granulomatous thyroiditis, subacute painful thyroiditis, de Quervain's thyroiditis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Stephanie L Lee, MD, PhD, Fellow, Association of Clinical Endocrinology; Director of Thyroid Nodule and Cancer Center, Associate Chief, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston Medical Center; Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
Stephanie L Lee, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Endocrinology, American Thyroid Association, and Endocrine Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Sonia Ananthakrishnan, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Stanley Wallach, MD, Executive Director, American College of Nutrition; Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
Stanley Wallach, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, American Society for Clinical Investigation, American Society for Clinical Nutrition, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, Association of American Physicians, and Endocrine Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Arthur B Chausmer, MD, PhD, FACP, FACE, FACN, CNS, Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Adj), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Affiliate Research Professor, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, School of Computational Sciences, George Mason University; Principal, C/A Informatics, LLC
Arthur B Chausmer, MD, PhD, FACP, FACE, FACN, CNS is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Endocrinology, American College of Nutrition, American College of Physician Executives, American College of Physicians, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Medical Informatics Association, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, American Society of Law Medicine and Ethics, Endocrine Society, and International Society for Clinical Densitometry
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Mark Cooper, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Head, Diabetes & Metabolism Division, Baker Heart Research Institute, Professor of Medicine, Monash University
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

George T Griffing, MD, Professor of Medicine, St Louis University School of Medicine
George T Griffing, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Medical Practice Executives, American College of Physician Executives, American College of Physicians, American Diabetes Association, American Federation for Medical Research, American Heart Association, Central Society for Clinical Research, Endocrine Society, International Society for Clinical Densitometry, and Southern Society for Clinical Investigation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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