Abstract
Pathological study on the morphologial changes of the thyroid of 36 autopsy cases from 1958 to 1968 which were diagnosed as terminating in renal insufficiency was carried out.
The essential change in these cases consisted mainly of atrophy of thyroid parenchyma due to metabolic disturbance.
Degeneration, desquamation, destruction of follicular epithelium and interstitial fibrosis occurred during this atrophic process.
There were 11 cases which revealed cell reaction in the interstitium of thyroid, the interpretation of which could not be made.
Although the criteria of so called nonspecific chronic thyroiditis is at present still not fully defined, the cases which revealed interstitial reaction excluding those with granulomatous change are akin to this condition.
As to the mechanism involved in the atrophic process, disturbance of excretion, conservation and circulation due to renal insufficiency and also hypoxic influence from anemia are given.
The hypof unction of the thyroid causes a delay of oxydation, and lowers its metabolism leading to atrophy of the thyroid.
