Thyroid : front view
The thyroid gland arises as a median outgrowth in the anterior cervical region and lies against the larynx and upper trachea.
It is made up of two lobes joined by the isthmus, sometimes accompanied by a small accessory lobe called the pyramidal lobe.
Normal Adult Weight : 15-25 g
Average Size : 4 x 3 x 3 cm.
Close relations with :
- parathyroid glands that are embedded between the trachea and the inner surface of the lobes
- recurrent laryngeal nerves that pass through the angle formed by the lobes (inner surface) and the trachea.
High vascularization via the superior and inferior thyroid arteries
The lymph vessels open into
- the internal jugular nodes
- the pretracheal and recurrent lymph nodes.
