Colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
Content:
- What is colloid goiter
- Colloid goiter symptoms
- Colloid goiter causes
- Types of colloid goiter
- Diagnostics of the colloid goiter
- Colloid goiter treatment
- Prevention of colloid goiter
What is colloid goiter of the thyroid gland?
Colloid goiter of the thyroid gland is an enlargement of an organ caused by the accumulation of colloid in the follicles. In this case, the follicle is a unit of the gland, which is similar in shape to a miniature sac. Its diameter does not exceed 1 mm. Inside it is formed by cells - thyrocytes, and outside it is tightly covered by the smallest blood vessels and nerve endings. It is inside the follicle that hormones T4 and T3 are formed and produced. An accumulation of 20 to 50 follicles is called thyreone.
Colloid is a jelly-like substance containing thyroglobulin, amino acids and iodine. Goiter of colloidal origin occurs when the outflow of colloid from the follicles is disturbed.
Symptoms of a colloid thyroid goiter
When the disease is at an early stage of development, the symptoms may not bother the person in any way. Most often, the patient turns to the doctor when the thyroid gland begins to increase in size.
In this case, the first signs of colloidal goiter appear, among which the following can be distinguished:
- The person experiences a feeling of pressure in the neck;
- As the goiter grows, it becomes difficult to swallow;
- In the area of the thyroid gland, a tickling feeling arises, forcing the patient to cough;
- The voice becomes hoarse;
- Dizziness and noises in the head may appear, which is caused by compression of the nerves and blood vessels;
- A person experiences pain in the area of the formed node. This feeling arises if the node increases rapidly, inflammatory processes begin to develop, or hemorrhages form;
- A lump is felt in the throat;
- Depending on the number of enlarged nodes, the goiter protrudes either from one side or from both, resembling the shape of a butterfly;
- When the colloid node exceeds 1 cm, the patient is able to feel it on his own.
Depending on which function of the thyroid gland is impaired, when a colloidal goiter occurs, the patient may experience completely different symptoms:
- Signs of hypothyroidism are observed when an overgrown colloid replaces thyrocytes. The patient complains of weakness, deterioration of thought processes, loss of appetite. Patients are often edematous, their metabolism slows down, they begin to gain weight, dry skin appears, sweating decreases;
- When the follicles produce excessive amounts of hormones, the patient suffers from signs of hyperthyroidism. In this case, the patient is irritable, whiny, aggressive, and gets tired quickly. The appetite increases, but at the same time the person loses weight, he suffers from diarrhea, and urination becomes more frequent. The number of heartbeats increases, body temperature may rise;
- If the production of hormones remains normal, but the accumulation of colloid in the follicles occurs, the patient complains of a noticeable increase in the thyroid gland. This condition is called euthyroidism. Formed colloid cysts squeeze nearby vessels and nerves, which leads to frequent dizziness, shortness of breath in a horizontal position, difficulty swallowing.
Causes of colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
There are several factors leading to the development of colloid goiter, among them the following can be distinguished:
- In case of insufficient intake of iodine in the body with food and water, the thyroid gland tries to compensate for its deficiency by capturing this element. The iodine is taken from the blood. This increases the production of colloid against the background of the parallel growth of the gland;
- Age. When a person has crossed the threshold of 40 years, the activity of individual follicles is activated, which is associated with age-related changes in the thyroid gland. Cells wear out faster, and an impressive part of them die off. The result of this process is the formation of large cavities in the follicles, in which the colloid begins to accumulate;
- Belonging to the female sex. In women more often than in men, hormonal surges occur in the body. They are associated with childbirth, pregnancy, breastfeeding, abortion, menopause. This leads to the failure of the outflow of the colloid and its accumulation in the thyroid gland;
- Exposure to radiation and adverse environmental conditions often cause mutations in the cells of the thyroid gland. They can also be caused by exposure to nitrates or a course of radiation therapy;
- Hereditary factor. When your close relatives have colloid goiter, then there is a risk of developing it and you. This is due to gene mutations that are inherited;
- Poisoning with toxic substances, tobacco smoke, work in hazardous industries - all this affects the functioning of the body as a whole, and the activity of the gland in particular. It is this organ that is most sensitive to metabolic disorders and imbalance of hormones produced by other organs: the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, ovaries;
-
Serious psychological trauma, regular stress, life against the background of nervous exhaustion - all this becomes a trigger mechanism for disrupting the activity of the thyroid gland;
- Frequent infections and inflammatory processes weaken the body's immune system, which makes the thyroid gland more vulnerable to toxins released by microorganisms, viruses and bacteria that have entered the human body;
- Hypothermia, which provokes vasospasm throughout the body. As a result, the outflow of the colloid is disrupted and it stagnates in the follicles, which stimulates the development of goiter.
Types of colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
There are three types of colloid thyroid goiter:
- Diffuse education. It is characterized by the fact that the entire thyroid gland is affected evenly, and the nodes are not formed. Most often, people under the age of 40 suffer from pathology. In this case, the organ increases significantly, which becomes the reason for contacting a doctor;
- Nodular colloid goiter. In this case, both multiple nodes and one node can appear. This pathology most often affects the female population and is often accompanied by the development of uterine fibroids. The formation of a multinodular goiter is said when the number of nodes exceeds two;
- Cystic colloid goiter. In this case, colloidal masses accumulate in the cavity of the cyst. She herself is surrounded by a shell - dense and elastic.
Colloid goiter itself is one of the safest forms of thyroid pathology. However, it is important to diagnose in time and distinguish colloidal formation from a tumor process.
Diagnostics of the colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
Primary diagnosis consists in examining the patient by an endocrinologist. At the reception, he will palpate the affected area, and to confirm the diagnosis, he sends the patient for an ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
Signs of colloid goiter, depending on their type, will differ in the picture issued by ultrasound examination:
- If the patient has a multinodular colloid goiter, then several formations will be traced;
- If the patient has a cyst containing a colloid, then it will have clear boundaries and a dark capsule. The content of the formation is homogeneous, there are no vessels inside;
- If the colloid goiter is diffuse, the thyroid gland increases in size, there are no nodes;
- If the formation is malignant, then ultrasound will give out a node that has an irregular shape, calcium deposits, with a heterogeneous structure and erratic blood flow.
For any formations and nodes exceeding 1 cm, additional research is necessary - fine-needle puncture biopsy. It is also necessary to take blood for biochemical analysis and to study hormonal status.
Auxiliary diagnostic methods are: X-ray (if there is a possibility that the thyroid gland is located incorrectly, there is a retrosternal goiter or clamping of the trachea), MRI or CT (helps to see the structure of the organ, its size, density of neoplasms), scintigraphy (makes it possible to determine the size of the organ and its functional ability, the presence of nodes).
Treatment of colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
The tactics of therapeutic influence largely depends on the nature of the goiter, on the rate of progression of the disease, on the patient's age and other indicators. In most cases, colloidal proliferative goiter does not require special therapy. When it does not affect the functionality of the thyroid gland, does not squeeze the trachea and larynx, does not cause a cosmetic defect, then simply monitoring the patient is sufficient. The patient is shown a regular visit to the endocrinologist.
When colloidal goiter tends to progress, then therapy is needed. Treatment with thyroid hormones will help reduce nodules. This will reduce the secretion of TSH and affect the size of the thyroid gland. The same tactic is used to treat diffuse goiter.
An alternative to surgery is treatment with radioactive iodine. It consists in taking the isotope inside, when, under its influence, the abnormally active tissues of the thyroid gland are destroyed.
For prophylactic purposes, patients with colloidal goiter are prescribed mineral supplements designed to compensate for the iodine deficiency in the body. It can be a remedy such as Iodomarin or Potassium iodide.
On the subject: Test to determine the level of iodine in the body
Surgery for colloidal goiter is rarely indicated, since this disease is considered benign.
However, there are exceptions, which include:
- Severe dysfunction of the thyroid gland, which cannot be corrected by drugs for more than six months;
- Colloid goiter with the formation of many nodes;
- Fast and uncontrolled node growth;
- An increase in education in a volume exceeding 3 cm;
- High likelihood of developing thyroid cancer;
- Visible cosmetic defect.
As a rule, the operation takes place without complications, and after a short time (less than a week) the patient can return home. For the first three weeks, he will need to prioritize a relaxed lifestyle, limit physical activity and adhere to a certain menu consisting of liquid and pureed dishes. If necessary, doctors prescribe hormones to compensate for their deficiency.
On the subject: Effective recipes for traditional medicine for goiter
Prevention of colloid goiter of the thyroid gland
Preventive measures will, if not avoid, then minimize the risk of colloid goiter.
Therefore, you should adhere to simple recommendations:
- Avoid visiting places with high radiation or unfavorable environmental conditions;
- Do not self-medicate, in particular, avoid taking iodine and calcium preparations without first consulting a doctor;
- Include cabbage, potatoes, corn in your diet;
- Prevent hypothermia of the body;
- Use not ordinary salt as a seasoning, but enriched with iodine;
- Support the immune system, use vitamin complexes in the autumn and spring periods;
- Go in for sports, take walks in the fresh air more often;
- Perform breathing exercises;
- Adhere to the correct daily routine, allocate enough time for sleep;
- Do not forget about regular preventive examinations with an endocrinologist. Especially in the case when there is a dangerous heredity.
As for the prognosis for recovery, in most cases it is favorable. If the disease was detected on time, correctly diagnosed, and the patient is regularly examined by an endocrinologist, then the risk of a goiter becoming a malignant formation is low. Also, one should not forget about preventive measures.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
