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The guidelines will be revised as appropriate with the approval of the Board of Directors when it becomes necessary to revise them, such as when new findings are obtained.
June 2, 2022
Japan Thyroid Association
President Akira Hishinuma
Guideline for the diagnosis of Graves' diseasee
Guideline for the diagnosis of Hypothyroidism
Guideline for the diagnosis of Painless thyroiditis
Guideline for the diagnosis of chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto disease)
Guideline for the diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis (acute phase)
Guideline for the diagnosis of Graves' disease
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
1．Signs of thyrotoxicosis such as tachycardia, weight loss, finger tremor, and sweating.
2．Diffuse enlargement of the thyroid gland
3．Exophthalmos and/or specific ophthalmopathy - b）
- Laboratory findings
1．Elevation in serum free thyroxine (FT4) and/or free triiodothyronine (FT3) level
2．Suppression of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) : less than 0.1μU/ml.
3．Positive for anti-TSH receptor antibody(TRAb or TBII) or thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb)
4．Elevated radioactive iodine (or 99mTcO4-) uptake to the thyroid gland. - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have Graves' disease if he/she has satisfied at least one of the clinical findings and all 4 laboratory findings.
- 2）
- A patient shall be said probably to have Graves' disease if he/she has satisfied at least one of the clinical findings and 3 laboratory findings 1 through 3.
- 3）
- A patient is suspected to have Graves' disease if he/she has satisfied at least one of the clinical findings and 2 laboratory findings 1 and 2. Elevation in serum FT4 have usually been present for at least 3 months.
- 【Notes】
- 1
- Decrease of serum cholesterol and increase of serum alkaline phosphatase are often observed.
- 2
- There are rare cases with free triiodothyronine (FT3) elevation alone and normal FT4.
- 3
- A patient shall be said to have "euthyroid Graves' disease" or "euthyroid ophthalmopathy", if he/she has ophthalmopathy and is positive for TRAb or TSAb, but shows normal FT4 and TSH.
- 4
- In an elderly patient, clinical symptoms and signs including an enlargement of the thyroid gland, may not be clear.
- 5
- In children, decreased scholastic ability, accelerated growth, restlessness and other symptoms are observed.
- 6
- FT3 / FT4 ratio is helpful to exclude painless thyroiditis.
- 7
- Measurement of thyroid blood flow and/or urinary iodine may be useful for differentiation of painless thyroiditis.
Guideline for the diagnosis of Hypothyroidism
【Primary hypothyroidism】
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
Any one of the symptoms and/or signs indicating hypothyroidism, which include loss of ambition, fatigue, periorbital puffiness, cold intolerance, weight gain, slow movements, drowsiness, memory impairment, constipation, and hoarseness. - b）
- Laboratory findings
Decrease in serum free thyroxine (FT4) and increase in serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have primary hypothyroidism if he/she has satisfied the findings a) and b)
- 【Notes】
- 1
- When a patient has autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto disease), anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibody may be positive.
- 2
- Occasionally, blocking antibody to TSH receptor causes primary hypothyroidism.
- 3
- Increase of serum cholesterol and decrease of serum creatine phosphokinase are often observed.
- 4
- Hypothyroidism shall be transient when it is postpartum onset or due to excessive iodine intake.
- 5
- In children, growth retardation and/or thyroid enlargement are observed.
【Central hypothyroidism】
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
Any one of the symptoms and/or signs indicating hypothyroidism, which include loss of ambition, fatigue, periorbital puffiness, cold intolerance, weight gain, slow movements, drowsiness, memory impairment, constipation, and hoarseness. - b）
- Laboratory findings
Normal or low level of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the presence of decreased serum free thyroxine (FT4). - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have central hypothyroidism if he/she has satisfied the findings a) and b).
Exclusionary conditions
A patient may not be said to have central hypothyroidism if he/she is
・in a convalescent phase from thyrotoxicosis
・under extremely poor physical condition
・medicated a drug which decreases TSH secretion
- 【Notes】
- 1
- In some cases with hypothalamic central hypothyroidism, serum TSH level is rather increased as high as ～10μU/ml.
- 2
- In the diagnosis of central hypothyroidism, consultation to an endocrine specialist is recommended since provocative tests for pituitary hormone secretion are essential.
- 3
- It is necessary to distinguish Nonthyroidal illness (low T3 syndrome) associated with severe wasting disease, because FT3, FT4, and even TSH decrease in more severe cases.
Guideline for the diagnosis of Painless thyroiditis
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
1．Thyrotoxicosis without pain of the thyroid gland
2．Spontaneous improvement of thyrotoxicosis (usually within 3 months) - b）
- Laboratory findings
1．Elevation of serum free thyroxine (FT4)
2．Suppression of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) : less than 0.1μU/ml.
3．Negative for anti-TSH receptor antibody
4．Decreased radioactive iodine (or 99mTcO4-) uptake to the thyroid gland - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have painless thyroiditis if he/she has satisfied all six findings.
- 2）
- A patient shall be said probably to have painless thyroiditis if he/she has satisfied both clinical findings a)-1 and a)-2, and three laboratory findings b)-1 through 3.
Exclusionary conditions
A patient may not be said to have painless thyroiditis if he/she is taking excessive thyroid hormone.
- 【Notes】
- 1
- Painless thyroiditis occurs during a course of Hashimoto thyroiditis or Graves' disease in remission.
- 2
- Painless thyroiditis often occurs in postpartum women in several months after parturition.
- 3
- Thyrotoxicosis is usually mild.
- 4
- Many cases experience transient hypothyroidism during the recovery period and a few cases develop permanent hypothyroidism.
- 5
- A patient with painless thyroiditis may be found by transient hypothyroidism, if thyrotoxicosis in the early phase was not noticed.
- 6
- There are rare cases with positive anti-TSH receptor antibody.
Guideline for the diagnosis of chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto disease)
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
Diffuse swelling of the thyroid gland (diffuse goiter) without any other causes such as Graves' disease. There are cases where the thyroid glands are atrophied. - b）
- Laboratory findings
1．Positive for anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody
2．Positive for anti-thyroglobulin antibody
3．Lymphocytic infiltration in the thyroid gland confirmed with cytological examination - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have chronic thyroiditis if he/she has satisfied the clinical finding and any one laboratory finding.
- 【Notes】
- 1
- The thyroid gland may be atrophic due to inhibitory anti-TSH receptor atibody.
- 2
- A patient shall be suspected to have chronic thyroiditis, if he/she has primary hypothyroidism without any other cause to induce hypothyroidism.
- 3
- A patient shall be suspected to have chronic thyroiditis, if he/she has anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody and/or anti-thyroglobulin antibody without thyroid dysfunction nor goiter formation.
- 4
- If a patient with thyroid neoplasm has anti-thyroid antibody by chance, he or she should be considered to have chronic thyroiditis.
- 5
- A patient is possible to have chronic thyroiditis if hypoechoic and/or inhomogeneous pattern was observed in thyroid ultrasonography.
Guideline for the diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis (acute phase)
- Findings
- a）
- Clinical findings
A swelling with pain and tenderness in the thyroid gland. - b）
- Laboratory findings
1．Elevation of C-reactive protein and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
2．Elevation of serum free thyroxine (FT4) and suppression of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) : less than 0.1μU/ml
3．Hypoechoic lesion at a painful portion of the thyroid gland confirmed by ultrasonography. - Criteria
- 1）
- A patient shall be said to have subacute thyroiditis if he/she has satisfied all 4 findings.
- 2）
- A patient shall be said probably to have subacute thyroiditis if he/she has satisfied the clinical finding a), and two laboratory findings b)-1 and b)-2.
Exclusionary conditions
A patient may not be said to have subacute thyroiditis if he/she is under the following condition
・acute exacerbation of chronic thyroiditis
・bleeding into a thyroid cyst
・acute suppurative thyroiditis
・thyroid anaplastic carcinoma
- 【Notes】
- 1
- Many cases experience transient hypothyroidism during the recovery period and a few cases develop permanent hypothyroidism.
- 2
- A patient often have preceding episodes of upper respiratory inflammation and high fever.
- 3
- Pain and tenderness often moves gradually (creeps) to the opposite lobe of the thyroid gland.
- 4
- Antithyroid autoantibodies may be positive before treatment when measured by sensitive assays.
- 5
- Polynuclear giant cells are observed with cytological or histological examinations, but there is neither tumor cell nor any finding characteristic to chronic thyroiditis.
- 6
- Radioactive iodine (or 99mTcO4-) uptake to the thyroid gland is decreased in the acute phase.
Resion Records
Revision on March 1, 2022: related to the end of sale of the hemagglutination assay for anti-TPO antibody.
Revision on June 2, 2022: including changes in revision methods and others.
