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Endocrine Pathology
Pituitary and Thyroid Diseases
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Hyperfunction | due to prolonged hyperstimulation |
Hypofunction | due to destruction of secretory cells |
Tumors | most common cause of endocrine pathologies |
Prolactinomas | due to pituitary hyperfunction; tumors of prolactin-secreting cells |
Amenorrhea | lack of menstruation; symptom of prolactinomas |
Galactorrhea | spontaneous milk secretion; symptom of prolactinomas |
Bromocriptine | dopamine analog (inhibits PRL); pharmacological treatment of prolactinomas |
Somatotropic adenomas | tumors of hGH producing cells |
Gigantism | hyperstimulation of longitudinal skeletal growth; symptom of somatotropic adenomas |
Acromegaly | enlarged fingers, hands, toes, feet, nose, tongue, sloped forehead, protruding jaw & enlarged inner organs; symtom of somatotropic adenomas |
Corticotropic adenomas | tumors of ACTH-secreting cells |
Tumors of TSH, LH, FSH-secreting cells | symptom of somatotropic adenomas |
Pituitary hypofunction | congenital disorder; tumors, ischemia |
Panhypopituitarism | Simmond's disease; due to low levels of pituitary secretions; all cells affected |
Diabetes insipidus | due to lack of ADH caused by destructive lesions in the hypothalamus, infundibulum and/or posterior pituitary |
Parafollicular C cells | produce calcitonin |
Follicular cells | produce thyroid hormones T3 and T4 |
Triiodothyronine | T3 |
Thyroxine | T4 |
Thyrotoxicosis | hyperthyroidism |
Grave's disease | autoimmune disorder caused by antibodies to TSH receptors; etiology of hyperthyroidism |
Nodular goiter | enlarged and nodular thyroid gland; etiology of hyperthyroidism |
Toxic adenoma | "hot nodules" on radioactive scans; etiology of hyperthyroidism |
exogenous thyroid medication | etiology of hyperthyroidism |
exophthalmos | bulging eyes; symptom of Grave's disease |
Hypothyroidism | due to developmental defects, thyroiditis, thyroidectomy or iodine deficiency |
Thyroiditis | immune-mediated inflammation of the thyroid gland where lymphocytes destroy thyroid follicles |
Thyroidectomy | removal of tumor |
Iodine deficiency | associated with goiter in hypothyroidism due to compensatory follicular hyperplasia |
Cretinism | retarded mental development due to lack of thyroid hormones |
Nodular goiter | due to functional disturbance (e.g., Grave's disease), iodine deficiency or neoplasms |
Adenomas | thyroid neoplasms found in 3-4% of adults |
Carcinomas | rare thyroid neoplasms with only 3-4/100,000 cases per year |
Papillary carcinoma | thyroid neoplasm that is slow progressing and hormonally inactive; 80% of cases |
Follicular carcinoma | more aggressive thyroid neoplasm, but good prognosis; 15% of cases |
Medullary carcinoma | C-cell carcinoma of thyroid; genetic link |
Anaplastic carcinoma | rare & extremely deadly thyroid neoplasm |