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"Man's natural instinct, in fact, is never toward what is sound and true. It is toward what is specious and false . . . The ideas that conquer the race most rapidly and arouse the wildest enthusiasm and are held most tenaciously are precisely the ideas that are most insane. This has been true since the first 'advanced' gorilla put on underwear, cultivated a frown and began his first lecture tour, . . . " H. L. Mencken, from Meditation On Meditation in the Smart Set, June, 1920 pp 45-46 In our opinion there is no field of clinical medicine in such a state of dynamic disequilibrium as clin ical thyroidology. Thyroid diseases are very common. The moderately complex but easily understandable physiological interrelationships between the thyroid, pituitary and hypothalamus have provided stimuli for the application of mod ern technology in the development of an array of diagnostic procedures. Although therapeutic methods have been more stable, and recent advances more limited, their application by phy- Joel I. Hambufl~er. M. D. sicians representing different disciplines has pro vided an ample basis for the expression of differ ing viewpoints. Unfortunately there are few opportunities for in-depth exploration of different attitudes and experience relevant to issues of current interest. The review process employed by medical journals often seems to stifle the expression of controver sial viewpoints.
List of contents
1. Is Thyroid Imaging an Overutilized Diagnostic Procedure?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 2. Are Silent Thyroiditis and Postpartum Silent Thyroiditis Forms of Chronic Thyroiditis or Different (New) Forms of Viral Thyroiditis?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 3. Should All Autonomously Functioning Thyroid Nodules Be Ablated to Prevent the Subsequent Development of Thyrotoxicosis?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 4. Is Prevention of Hyperthyroidism Complicating Pregnancy Justification for Routine Ablative Therapy for Hyperthyroidism in Women in the Childbearing Years?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 5. Is Long-Term Antithyroid Drug Therapy for Graves' Disease Cost-Effective?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 6. Is There a Place for Long-Term Stable Iodine in the Treatment of Graves' Disease?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 7. When and How Often Is It Necessary to Prepare Hyperthyroid Patients for 131I Therapy with Antithyroid Drugs?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 8. Is Needle Aspiration of the Cystic Thyroid Nodule Effective and Safe Treatment?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 9. Do All Nodules Appearing in Patients Subsequent to Radiation Therapy to the Head and Neck Areas Require Excision?.- Commentary.- Summary.- 10. Is Lymphoma of the Thyroid a Disease Which Is Increasing in Frequency?.- Commentary.- Summary.
