[Thyroid diseases in advanced age]

Nearly all diseases of the thyroid, such as nodular goitre, thyroid carcinoma, non-immunogenic hyperthyroidism and idiopathic hypothyroidism, exhibit an increase in frequency with age. Their recognition is rendered more difficult by the often oligosymptomatic, ambiguous clinical picture, but it is the timely treatment that is of particular prognostic importance to an organism weakened due to polymorbidity. In all hard nodular alterations, a malignoma must be ruled out by sonography, scintigraphy and cytopuncture. In all iodine-deficient regions such as the GDR, a frequent occurrence of thyroid autonomy with manifestation of hyperthyroidism following iodine contamination has to be taken into account. Hypothyroidism is often misinterpreted as age-related changes. By employing adequately modern in vitro methods and imaging procedures it will be possible to further improve diagnosis and prognosis of the thyreopathy in the old age ranges.