goitre

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goitre (goi-ter) n. a swelling of the neck due to enlargement of the thyroid gland. This may be due to lack of dietary iodine, which is necessary for the production of thyroid hormone: the gland enlarges in an attempt to increase the output of hormone. Autoimmune thyroiditis can be associated with goitre (see Hashimoto's disease). exophthalmic g. (Graves' disease) see thyrotoxicosis. sporadic g. goitre due to simple overgrowth (hyperplasia) of the gland or to a tumour.

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