Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Vertebral compression fractures are common in children with osteogenesis imperfecta. Current imaging methods for fracture detection (X-ray and DXA) use ionising radiation. High Resolution Thermal imaging (HRTI) is a non-invasive, non-ionising method that detects infrared radiation energy emissivity to an accuracy of 0.04 °C, providing a quantitative and qualitative map of temperature distribution. Given that the alteration in blood flow in vertebral fractures ...

Adrenal incidentalomata are a common finding on cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen. Further assessment is required to differentiate benign adrenal masses from adrenocortical carcinomas and hormone-secreting tumours. Phaeochromocytomas are rare catecholamine-secreting tumours arising from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. They classically present with symptoms and signs of catecholamine excess including headache, sweating, hypertension and tachycardia. However, with ...

Objectives: In May 2016, the local thyroid cancer tumor group proposed and adopted specific thyroid lobectomy recommendations based on the 2015 ATA guidelines. ThyroSPEC molecular testing was introduced for all Bethesda III and IV lesions in August 2020. The goal of this study was to evaluate the implementation of the ATA lobectomy guidelines and the introduction of ThyroSPEC molecular testing on rates of upfront total thyroidectomy (TTx), diagnostic lobectomy for Bethesda I-I...

Background: Establishing a genetic diagnosis in patients presenting with potential monogenic endocrine disorders can provide benefits for the individual and wider family. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) gene panels provide a time- and cost-efficient platform for testing. A Scottish NGS endocrine testing platform, comprising 30 genes (11 individual panels), was established in 2018. A national genomic test-directory provides eligibility criteria for testing, bu...

Introduction: Genomic testing is expected to become a part of mainstream testing in the not-too-distant future, with clinicians ordering genetics tests in the same way routine endocrine tests are requested today. Knowledge on how and what test to request needs to be gathered by a wide range of physicians. To support this, the Genomics Education Programme of NHS England is developing a resource for all endocrinologists to use in clinic as part it’s Genomic...

Background: Radioactive iodine (RAI) is a safe and effective treatment for management of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease and multinodular goitres. However, patient engagement with this therapy is limited by concerns regarding significant weight gain following treatment. We therefore aimed to audit weight changes in individuals receiving RAI within our service and identify factors that may influence this outcome.Met...

Background: Combination treatment with Levothyroxine (LT4) and Liothyronine (LT3) in primary hypothyroidism has been debated recently due to restrictions placed by local health boards. National guidance suggests that a short-term trial of combination LT4/LT3 treatment may be considered for individuals who report persistent symptoms despite adequate LT4 replacement.Method: We created a prescribing protocol for combined LT...

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) are broadly classified as non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) and functional pituitary adenomas (FPAs) which include growth hormone secreting adenomas (GHPAs). Since the role of the immune system in PitNET pathogenesis is still poorly understood, we employed RNA-sequencing technology to unravel differentially expressed genes in GHPAs and NFPAs. Here we present an RNA-sequencing workflow of GHPAs (n=3) and NFPAs (n<...

Aims: To study changes in bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral parameters, metabolic profile, body composition and quality of life at base line and 6 months following parathyroidectomy, in subjects with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).Material and methods: This prospective study was conducted over 18 months with first 12 months of recruitment and next 6 months for follow-up. Sixty-eight patients with PHPT who underwent surgery were compared with 1...

Duplication of pituitary gland in association with other midline craniofacial anomalies -DPG-plus syndrome - is extremely rare. So far the only described endocrine associations are precocious or delayed puberty. We describe the multifaceted management of a female infant with DPG-plus syndrome. Interestingly, the patient also presented with trans-cranial nasal dermoid cyst and a nasal dimple with protruding hair, which hasn’t been described in previously reported cases. Ou...