Goitre is the enlargement of the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped gland which is present at the front of the throat and below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland comprises of two lobes that lie on either side of the windpipe joined by a bridge of tissue called the isthmus. It is controlled by the pituitary gland and prompts the thyroid to secrete the hormones thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) by releasing thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Excessive stimulation of the thyroid gland by TSH can result in goitre.
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