They can be solid, fluid-filled, or a mixture of both.
Thyroid nodules are very common, and about half of American adults will have one by age 60.
Thyroid nodules are not cancerous 95% of the time.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
If you dont get enough iodine from your diet, your thyroid gland can become progressively larger.
When they become large, however, you may see or feel them at the base of your neck.
Diagnosis
Thyroid nodules are usually discovered during an unrelated test.
Sometimes, the nodule may be large enough to be seen or felt by a healthcare provider.
The test is fast and noninvasive.
If your healthcare provider suspects that the nodule is cancerous, other tests will be ordered.
Ultrasound Elastography
Elastographyor ultrasound elastography can be used as well.
If a nodule is hyperfunctioning, it will absorb more radioactive material than normal thyroid tissue does.
According to studies, this test is 95% accurate in diagnosing whether a nodule is cancerous or not.
FNA is usually conducted with the assistance of ultrasound and is not painful in most cases.
A thyroidectomy may also be recommended if you have a single toxic nodule.
This may cause hyperthyroidism.
This therapy can be used to treat a single toxic nodule or toxic multinodular goiter.
It uses a small amount of radioactivity and is considered safe.
It should not, however, be used to treat pregnant or lactating women.
Hypothyroidism is a common consequence of this treatment.
Another new potential treatment is radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of a toxic nodule.
The heat generated at the needle tip destroys the target tissue.
Hot Nodules
Hot nodules produce excess thyroid hormone, which can cause hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).
These nodules are almost always noncancerous and are typically identified through thyroid scintigraphy.
Seek medical care if you develop signs and symptoms.
A lobectomy involves removing only the lobe of the thyroid gland where nodules are present.
Cancerous thyroid nodules could also be treated with radioiodine and chemotherapy.
However, if the cancer is growing aggressively, you may have to undergo surgery while pregnant.
However, you should always go in for recommended routine check-ups.
Thyroid nodules rarely disappear on their own, so you’re free to expect to have them permanently.
Sometimes, they change in size and may become smaller on their own.
You will also have a small scar at the front of your neck, which may fade over time.
What Can Patients Do to Have a Smooth Recovery From a Thyroidectomy?
Summary
Thyroid nodules are growths made up of abnormal cell clusters that develop in the thyroid gland.
They can be solid, fluid-filled, or a mixture of both.
Most thyroid nodules are not cancerous.
Causes include age, radiation exposure to the head and neck, and iodine deficiency.
Diagnosis is made using ultrasound technology and fine needle aspiration.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thyroid Nodules: When to Worry.
2019 Jan 29;2019:9131406. doi: 10.1155/2019/9131406.
].Int J Endocrinol.
2017;2017:8401518. doi:10.1155/2017/8401518
American Thyroid Association.Thyroid Nodules.
2023;23(1):154.
2017;7(5):1303-1329.
2018 Apr 17;319(15):1622. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.3696.].JAMA.
2018;319(9):914-924. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.0898
Lee SY, Pearce EN.Hyperthyroidism: A Review.JAMA.
2024;51(7):2050-2066. doi:10.1007/s00259-024-06625-w
Kravets I.Hyperthyroidism: Diagnosis and Treatment.Am Fam Physician.
2016;93(5):363-370.
British Thyroid Foundation.Antithyroid drug therapy to treat hyperthyroidism.
Alexander EK, Doherty GM, Barletta JA.Management of thyroid nodules.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol.
Serum TSH levels as a predictor of malignancy in thyroid nodules: A prospective study.
Vicha A, ed.
2017;12(11):e0188123.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188123
Menzilcioglu MS, Duymus M, Avcu S.Sonographic Elastography of the Thyroid Gland.
Polish Journal of Radiology.
Popoveniuc, G. and Jonklaas, J. Thyroid Nodules.Medical Clinics of North America, 96(2), pp.329-349.
