Thyroid Anatomy

The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland and is comprised of lobes that sit on the left and right side: lobus dexter on the right and lobus sinisteron the left. They are connected by the isthmus that sits between the two lobes.

The thyroid gland is located on the anterior (front) side of the neck, surrounding the larynx and trachea, extending behind the esophagus. It is supplied with arterial blood from the superior thyroid artery and the inferior thyroid artery, and the thyroid ima artery, which branches from the aortic arch.

The thyroid's role is to regulate the body's metabolism, and to produce and secrete thyroid hormones T3 and T4. It is the imbalance of thyroid hormones that causes the signs and symptoms of thyroid disease, such as hyperactivity (hyperthyroidism) and hypoactivity (hypothyroidism).

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT