OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical and pathological features of Riedel's thyroiditis (RT), and current diagnostic and treatment methods for that disease.

METHODSFive RT cases identified by surgery and pathological examinations at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1985 to 2009 were analyzed and compared with the cases reported in the literature in terms of clinical and pathological features. Immunohistochemical staining of kappa and lambda light chains was carried out for RT tissues from all the five patients.

RESULTSAll the five cases were females, aged 45-55 years. Elevation of serum thyroid autoantibodies was found in only one patient, who had longer disease duration than the others. Pathological examination revealed invasive fibrosclerosis of the thyroid follicles, thyroid capsule, and the surrounding tissues. In RT tissues, the number of cells containing lambda chains was a little higher than those containing kappa chains.

CONCLUSIONSRT is a rare disease which might be more common in middle-aged females than in other populations. Pathological features include the destruction of thyroid follicle, extension into surrounding tissues by inflammatory cells and fibrous tissues. Immunohistochemical staining of kappa and lambda chains could help diagnose RT.

Autoantibodies ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Microsomes ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis ; immunology ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of liver function and autoantibodies in patients with acute or chronic drug-induced liver injury.

METHODS51 patients with drug-induced liver injury were divided into acute drug induced liver injury group and chronic drug induced liver injury group, liver function and autoantibodies were compared between these two groups.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference (P more than 0.05) in alanine aminotransferase [(412.1+/-387.5) U/L and (376.0+/-319.7) U/L], aspartate aminotransferase [(352.5+/-457.9) U/L and (198.8+/-142.7) U/L], total bilirubin [(109.7+/-104.80)micromol/L and(102.4+/-135.7)micromol/L], direct bilirubin [(66.4+/-73.3)micromol/L and (61.2+/-72.1)micromol/L], alkaline phosphatase [(133.4+/-50.1) U/L and (147.4+/-97.3) U/L], gamma-glutamyltransferase [(139.9+/-134.1) U/L and (180.6+/-227.9) U/L], and albumin [(41.3+/-4.9) g/L and (39.8+/-5.3)g/L] between these two groups, however, the level of globulin [(25.1+/-5.3) g/L and (28.6+/-5.1) g/L] was significantly different between these two groups (P less than 0.05). The titers of Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) and smooth muscle antibody (SMA) were less than or equal to 1:320 in patients with acute drug induced liver injury. The titers of ANA, antimitochondrial antibody (AMA), and SMA were more than or equal to 1:320 in most of the patients with chronic drug induced liver injury.

CONCLUSIONLiver function has no value in the diagnosis of acute or chronic drug induced liver injury. High titer autoantibodies are found in patients with chronic drug induced liver injury.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; blood ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Microsomes ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; immunology

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the clinical significance of incidental diffuse thyroid uptake (DTU) on 18F-FDG PET in subjects without a history of cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 2062 studies from adults who underwent 18F-FDG PET as a cancer screening program. Subjects were divided into the following two groups: with (group I) or without (group II) DTU. The presence of DTU and the thyroid visual grading score were compared with thyroid function tests, serum anti-microsomal antibody (AMA) levels, and the presence of diffuse parenchymal change (DPC) on ultrasonography (USG). RESULTS: DTU was found in 6.6% of the scans (137/2062). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and AMA levels were significantly higher in group I than in group II. Increased AMA level (55.1%) and DPC (48.7%) were more frequently found in group I (p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects with any abnormal results in serum free thyroxine, triiodothyronine, TSH, or AMA levels or DPC on USG was significantly higher in group I than in group II (71.5% vs. 10.6%, p < 0.001), and was significantly and gradually increased according to the visual grading score group (0 vs. 1-2 vs. 3-4 = 10.6% vs. 58.5% vs. 90.9%, p < 0.001). TSH and is AMA levels were significantly increased according to the visual grading score. CONCLUSION: The presence or degree of incidental DTU on 18F-FDG PET is closely correlated with increased serum AMA and TSH levels, and the presence of DPC on USG. Therefore, the most plausible pathological cause of DTU may be cell damage by an autoimmune mechanism.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies/blood ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/*diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; *Incidental Findings ; Male ; Microsomes/immunology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; Positron-Emission Tomography/methods ; Radiopharmaceuticals/*diagnostic use/pharmacokinetics ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Gland/metabolism/*radionuclide imaging/ultrasonography ; Thyrotropin/blood ; Young Adult