[Various aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune thyroiditis]

The authors conducted 4-year investigation of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. All the patients were women aged 28 to 68 with the duration of disease from 5 mos to 10 yrs. Combined diagnostic methods included radioactive iodine absorption, scanning, puncture biopsy, indirect thyroidolymphography. Antibodies to thyroglobulin, T3, T4, and TTH were determined by RIA. Chronic thyroiditis was diagnosed in all the patients. The authors proposed a method of intraparenchymatous administration of steroid agents into the thyroid. This method was shown to be simple, effective, causing no complications. Conservative therapy of Hashimoto's thyroiditis should be performed not more than 2 years and not less than one year.