Pathology Cheat Sheet
Read the Thyroid Response
Thyroid pathology for NEET-PG: goitre, Graves TSH receptor antibodies, Hashimoto thyroiditis, papillary Orphan Annie nuclei, and medullary calcitonin carcinoma.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Read the Thyroid Response
Thyroid pathology for NEET-PG: goitre, Graves TSH receptor antibodies, Hashimoto thyroiditis, papillary Orphan Annie nuclei, and medullary calcitonin carcinoma.
Thyroid swellings and the pathology of thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism, framed by iodine dependency and functional status.
High-yield lines
- Iodine deficiency causes endemic goitre, the most common cause of thyroid enlargement worldwide.
- A diffuse nontoxic goitre may evolve into a multinodular goitre over time.
- Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism and is caused by stimulating antibodies to the TSH receptor.
- Graves disease shows diffuse hyperplasia with tall crowded follicular cells and scalloped colloid, with ophthalmopathy and pretibial myxoedema.
- Hashimoto thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient areas and is autoimmune.
- Hashimoto thyroiditis shows lymphocytic infiltration with germinal centres and Hurthle cell change and anti-TPO antibodies.
- Papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common thyroid cancer and shows Orphan Annie eye nuclei, nuclear grooves, and psammoma bodies.
- Papillary carcinoma spreads via lymphatics and has an excellent prognosis.
- Follicular carcinoma spreads haematogenously and requires capsular or vascular invasion for diagnosis.
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma arises from parafollicular C cells, secretes calcitonin, and contains amyloid stroma.
- Medullary carcinoma is associated with MEN 2 syndromes and RET mutations.
- Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is highly aggressive and occurs in the elderly.
Mapped competency codes
- PA32.1
- PA32.2
- PA32.3
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This summary maps to PA32-endocrine-system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes Graves disease?
Stimulating autoantibodies against the TSH receptor, producing diffuse thyroid hyperplasia with hyperthyroidism, ophthalmopathy, and pretibial myxoedema.
What are the nuclear features of papillary thyroid carcinoma?
Optically clear Orphan Annie eye nuclei, nuclear grooves, and intranuclear pseudoinclusions, often with psammoma bodies.
What does medullary thyroid carcinoma secrete and contain?
It arises from parafollicular C cells, secretes calcitonin, contains amyloid stroma, and is associated with MEN 2 and RET mutations.
What is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient regions?
Hashimoto thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease with lymphocytic infiltration, Hurthle cells, and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies.
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