Better recognize thyroid symptoms

Ultrasound detects thyroid disorders more clearly

The thyroid gland is an important hormone gland in our body that performs a variety of metabolic functions. Unfortunately, the metabolic organ is also prone to diseases and dysfunctions. According to estimates, around every third person in Germany suffers from a thyroid disorder or disorder. An expert presents various ultrasound procedures that help to better detect and differentiate the diseases.

The symptoms of a thyroid gland can be manifold. In addition to a swollen thyroid gland, it can lead to nodule development to malignant tumor formation. Even more often there are functional disorders such as hyperthyroidism (hypothyroidism) or hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism). In addition, there is also the autoimmune disease Graves disease, which is often confused with a malfunction.

The thyroid gland can cause numerous complaints that are often not or not properly recognized. An expert explains how the underlying disease can be clearly determined. (Image: Adiano / fotolia.com)

The thyroid affects many processes in the body

Professor med. Josef Menzel is head of the Medical Clinic II at the Ingolstadt Hospital. He explains why our thyroid is so important and how the various diseases of the thyroid gland are manifested. "The thyroid forms, among other things, the iodine-containing hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), which affect the metabolism, circulation and mood," says the expert in a press release.

What are the various thyroid complaints??

"Overactivity causes hair loss, irritability, excessive sweating (heat intolerance), tremors, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, cravings, diarrhea, and muscle weakness," says the professor. An under-function is shown by hair loss, depression, feeling cold, slowed pulse, low blood pressure, weight gain, constipation, high blood lipid levels and muscle weakness. In addition, there are also over 600,000 predominantly female sufferers who suffer from the autoimmune disease Graves' disease, which is often confused with a hyperthyroidism or hypofunction. Emotional vulnerability, hair loss, inner restlessness, sweating, tremors and diarrhea are the leading symptoms here.

Graves' disease is often not recognized

"Normally, the body's immune cells make antibodies to bacteria or viruses; in an autoimmune disease such as Graves' disease, however, they attack the body's own cells, "explains the specialist. This leads to uncontrolled reactions of the thyroid hormones. According to Menzel, if there is such an autoimmune disease, antibodies bind to the cells of the thyroid gland. As a result, certain receptors are either stimulated or suppressed. This could either lead to symptoms of hypofunction or hyperfunction.

How the individual disease is differentiated

"In order to find out clearly whether a patient is actually suffering from Graves' disease or another thyroid disease, the doctor carries out various examinations," reports Menzel. Various diagnostic methods are used for this purpose. In addition to a physical examination and a blood test can provide important information. The expert emphasizes the diagnosis by ultrasound.

Using ultrasound to make fast and reliable diagnoses

"With the help of ultrasound, we can make the diagnosis quickly and safely," says Professor Menzel. With the so-called color Doppler sonography one can represent the structure of the fabric very exactly. From this it was possible to draw conclusions as to whether, for example, there is a massively increased blood flow of the organ typical of the disease.

Ultrasound-targeted fine needle aspiration

"The specialist wins final safety with the simple, safe and fast ultrasound-targeted fine needle aspiration", says the specialist. Under ultrasound surveillance, a small piece of tissue is removed, which can then be examined in the laboratory. Thus, the present disease can be clearly determined. "In addition to the clinical symptoms and the laboratory parameters, the ultrasound examination is thus an important pillar in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases," summarizes Menzel.

How is Graves' disease treated??

As a rule, Graves' patients initially receive medicines, so-called antithyroid drugs, which reduce the activity of the thyroid gland. "If there is no lasting improvement after a period of about one and a half years, the thyroid must be reduced in the long term either by surgery or by treatment with radioactive iodine (radioiodine therapy)," explains the hospital director. (Vb)