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Thyroiditis
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
The term "thyroiditis" unites thyroid diseases that differ in etiology, pathogenesis, and an obligatory component of which is inflammation. With different pathogenesis, the diseases have clinically similar symptoms, which complicates differential diagnosis in some cases.
Existing classifications of thyroiditis are based either on pathomorphological changes or on clinical manifestations. Both have a number of shortcomings. For practicing physicians, it is more appropriate to use the classification that takes into account the features of pathogenesis and clinical course, proposed by I. Herrman in 1980:
- acute thyroiditis (diffuse or focal):
- subacute thyroiditis:
- diffuse;
- focal;
- chronic thyroiditis:
- autoimmune thyroiditis (atrophic form);
- fibro-invasive (Riedel);
- specific thyroiditis (tuberculous, syphilitic, septicomycotic).
Specific thyroiditis, according to other classifications, is classified as chronic purulent.
Riedel's goiter is currently classified as a systemic disease of connective tissue.
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