[Autoimmune thyroiditis: pathogenesis, morphogenesis and classification]

Autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) are a heterogenous group of organ specific autoimmune diseases (AID) of the thyroid. Their pathogenesis is associated with predisposing, initiating and promoting factors. Morphogenesis is based on the hypersensitivity reaction of the immediate and delayed types with the development of acute or chronic immune inflammation in combination with atrophic and hyperplastic alterations of the parenchyma (reaction of neutralization and inactivation). AT can be subdivided into primary ones (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, chronic atrophic thyroiditis) and the secondary ones which are the manifestation of the organ-specific AID.