Endocrine Abstracts

Purpose: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is medical disease witch affects more than 5% of the population and represents the most common cause of hypothyroidism. The possibility of an immunological and autoimmune mechanism in the pathogenia of the disease has been suggested.

Methods and Materials: In 200 patients, who received iodine 131 therapy after total or near total thyroidectomy for one or more cold nodules,in our department last year (71% with papillary and the rest with follicular carcinoma) 50 (25%) had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, based in the cytological analysis of the surgical resects thyroid gland. In 25 patients the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was not reached before the surgery.

Conclusion: An adequate follow-up of the patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may permit an early diagnosis of the differentiated thyroid cancer and its appropriate management, because the increased incidence of DTC and HT may indicate that HT is a precursor of thyroid cancer.