300905 Study Guide - Final Guide: Thyroid, Exophthalmos, Goitre

• School: UWS
• Department: University of Western Sydney
• Course: 300905
• Professor: anonymous

Document Summary

Two signs are truly "diagnostic" of graves" disease e. g, not seen in other hyperthyroid conditions: exophthalmos and nonpitting edema. Goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland and is of the diffuse type e. g, spread throughout the gland. Diffuse goiter may be seen with other causes of hyperthyroidism, although graves" disease is the most common cause of diffuse goiter. A large goiter will be visible to the naked eye, but a small one mild enlargement of the gland may be detectable only by physical examination. Occasionally, goiter is not clinically detectable, but may be seen only with computed tomography or ultrasound examination of the thyroid. Another sign of graves" disease is hyperthyroidism, e. g, overproduction of the thyroid hormones t3 and t4. Normal thyroid levels are also seen, and occasionally also hypothyroidism, which may assist in causing goiter though it is not the cause of the graves" disease.