The thyroid: Your metabolic fuel injector
"Like the carburetor in an automobile, the thyroid regulates how much metabolic pep is in your step," says
Joseph Fallon, MD, chief of endocrinology at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals. "It regulates fuel metabolism and controls many chemical reactions in the body, greatly affecting health."
The thyroid, a small butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck, produces the hormones that maintain normal growth and metabolism. "If these hormones don't remain balanced, the thyroid can become under- or overactive. It may also produce a goiter, where the entire thyroid gland becomes enlarged or a nodule where growth occurs on only one part of the gland. Fortunately, most nodules are not cancerous and even those that are not normally aggressive," says
Jonathan Anolik, MD, chief of endocrinology at Virtua Memorial Hospital. It's the under- and overactive thyroid that creates the most challenging problem.
Understanding the difference
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid becomes underactive and hormones drop below normal. Some warnings include fatigue, constipation, weight gain, dry hair, brittle nail and depression. "Symptoms are subtle and can be mistaken for the natural aging process, menopause or stress. Combined with a thorough medical history and physical examination, a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test is used to detect abnormalities, determine treatment and prevent symptoms," says Dr. Fallon, who is board certified in endocrinology. Patients usually receive an oral hormone to restore and maintain normal levels.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid becomes overactive, causing rapid heart beat, weight loss, hair loss, nervousness, diarrhea and sleep disturbances. "Treatment often requires a long-term care plan," says Dr. Anolik, a board-certified endocrinologist. "It involves reducing the amount of hormones produced." Approaches include a dose of radioactive iodine to disable production or antithyroid drug therapy to block production. More serious cases, though rare, require surgery to remove part or the entire thyroid.
InterOperative Parathyroid Testing
Neighboring the thyroid gland are four tiny parathyroid glands. Although these glands have a different job — regulating the blood's calcium, which affects the nervous and muscular systems — they can also create problems. If excess calcium is produced by hyperparathyroidism, excessive thirst, weakness, and hip bone loss as well as kidney stones or osteoporosis may occur. This often requires the surgical removal of an overactive parathyroid gland.
With the availability of the IntraOperative Parathyroid Sestamibi Probe at Virtua West Jersey Hospital Marlton, physicians can now decrease the need for anesthesia and localization of the dysfunctional parathyroid gland. The procedure is done with smaller, less invasive incisions and minimal surgical exploration. For patients, this means fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.