author(s)
Poobitha S, Nair MG, Kumar R, Sivakumar M, Varshney KC, Uma Maheswari D and Lakkawar AW

abstract
The gross and histopathological changes in the thyroid glands of 145 goats harvested at slaughter during the period January 2014-June 2014 at Puducherry. The conditions affecting the left and right left lobes were independently examined. Histology of both lobes was not uniform. Normal histoarchitecture was recorded in only 11 lobes (4 left, 5 right and 1 bilateral). Histopathological changes recorded in the thyroid glands were categorized as congenital anomaly, degenerative changes, vascular disturbances, growth disturbances, pigmentation, neoplasm and miscellaneous conditions. Ultimobranchial cysts were most common histopathological condition recorded. These cysts were located predominantly at the hilar region and occurred either as a single cyst or multiple numbers. Microscopically, the cysts were lined by squamous epithelium, and in many cases their lumen contained eosinophilic keratin and cellular debris arranged in a laminated whorl pattern. The cysts were recorded in 85/290 lobes (29.31%) and ranged from 73.3-788.6 µm in diameter (left lobe, n=27) and 78.3-688.6 µm in diameter (right lobe, n=30) with bilateral involvement in 14/290 (4.82%) cases. Only in 20/290 (6.89%), these cysts were grossly recognizable in the hilar region of longitudinally sectioned thyroid lobes.