Silent thyroiditis is a form of

thyroiditis Thyroiditis is the inflammation of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located on the front of the neck below the laryngeal prominence, and makes hormones that control metabolism. Thyroiditis is a group of disorders that all cause thyroi ...

. It may occur at any age and is more common in females. When silent thyroiditis occurs postpartum it is called

postpartum thyroiditis Postpartum thyroiditis is a type of thyroiditis, inflammation of the thyroid, occurring in the first 12 months after pregnancy and typically involves hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism which is most often temporary. Postpartum thyroiditi ...

. Both of these entities can be considered subtypes of

Hashimoto's thyroiditis Hashimoto's thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, Hashimoto's disease and autoimmune thyroiditis, is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed. Early on, symptoms may not be noticed. Over ti ...

and have an autoimmune basis. Anti-thyroid antibodies are common in all three and the underlying histology is similar.''Thyroiditis: Differential Diagnosis and Management'', American Family Physician, February 15, 2000
/ref> This disorder should not be confused with

de Quervain's thyroiditis De Quervain's thyroiditis, also known as subacute granulomatous thyroiditis or giant cell thyroiditis, is a self-limiting inflammatory illness of the thyroid gland. De Quervain thyroiditis is characterized by fever, Influenza-like illness, flu-li ...

which is another form of

subacute thyroiditis Subacute thyroiditis refers to a temporal classification of the different forms of thyroiditis based on onset of symptoms. The temporal classification of thyroiditis includes presentation of symptoms in an acute, subacute, or chronic manner. There ...

Symptoms and signs

Silent thyroiditis features a small

goiter A goitre (British English), or goiter (American English), is a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland. A goitre can be associated with a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Worldwide, over 90% of goitre cases are ca ...

without tenderness. This condition tends to have a phase of

hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism is a endocrine disease in which the thyroid gland produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. Thyrotoxicosis is a condition that occurs due to elevated levels of thyroid hormones of any cause and therefore includes hyperth ...

followed by a return to a

euthyroid The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans, it is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck below the Adam's apple. It consists of two connected lobe (anatomy), lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes a ...

state, and then a phase of

hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disease in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. It can cause a number of symptoms, such as cold intolerance, poor ability to tolerate cold, fatigue, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, co ...

, followed again by a return to the euthyroid state. The time span of each phase can vary; however, each phase usually lasts 2–3 months.

Diagnosis

Silent thyroiditis can only be diagnosed definitively by taking a

radioactive iodine uptake test The radioactive iodine uptake test is a type of scan used in the diagnosis of thyroid problems, particularly hyperthyroidism. It is entirely different from radioactive iodine therapy (RAI therapy), which uses much higher doses to destroy cancerou ...

(RAIU) test. During both the hyperthyroid and hypothyroid phases, radioiodine uptake is decreased. This situation contrasts greatly with the elevated iodine uptake found in patients with

Graves' disease Graves' disease, also known as toxic diffuse goiter or Basedow's disease, is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It frequently results in and is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It also often results in an enlarged thyro ...

Treatment

Treatment is based on symptoms.

Beta-blockers Beta blockers, also spelled β-blockers, are a class of medications that are predominantly used to manage abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and to protect the heart from a second heart attack after a first heart attack (secondary prevention). ...

relieve rapid heart rate and excessive sweating during the hyperthyroid phase.

References

{{Thyroid disease Thyroid disease