Riedel's thyroiditis (patient information)

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Riedel's thyroiditis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Riedel's thyroiditis?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Riedel's thyroiditis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Furqan M M. M.B.B.S[2]

What are the Symptoms of (Disease name)?

Riedel's thyroiditis can cause:

• Hard and fixed neck mass
• Painless goiter
• Dysphagia
• Dyspnea
• Hoarseness

If thyroid gland releases less amount of thyroid hormones it can result in hypothyroidism and the following symptoms can develop:

• Cold intolerance
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Dry skin
• Mood changes

What Causes (disease name)?

Riedel's thyroiditis is thought to be due to the autoimmunity and infiltration of lymphocytes in the thyroid gland.

Who is at Highest Risk?

Family history and the presence of other autoimmune diseases confer highest risks in the development of Riedel's thyroiditis.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is usually made by biopsy and histopathological analysis. Other important factors in the diagnosis are:

• History and physical examination
• Thyroid function tests
• ESR
• Imaging studies such as CT and MRI
• Iodine-123 uptake

When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of Riedel's thyroiditis.

Treatment Options

• Pharmacological medical therapies for Riedel's thyroiditis include:
  • Corticosteroids
  • Tamoxifen
• Thyroid debulking surgery is performed in Riedel's thyroiditis in patients with compressive symptoms.

Where to find Medical Care for (Disease name)?

Medical care for (disease name) can be found here.

Prevention

There are no preventive methods for Riedel's thyroiditis.

What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Prognosis of Riedel's thyroiditis is generally very good.

Possible Complications

Common complications of Riedel's thyroiditis include:

• Hoarseness
• Stridor
• Dysphagia
• Hypothyroidism
• Hypoparathyroidism
• Horner's syndrome
• Occlusive phlebitis
• Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000434.htm