Anatom3D
ENCZDE
Download

Thyroid nodules & goitre

Nodus glandulae thyroideae et struma · Uzly štítné žlázy a struma

What it is

Lumps in the thyroid, found by ultrasound in up to two-thirds of adults and almost all benign; goitre — an enlarged gland — comes worldwide mostly from iodine deficiency.

Symptoms & signs

  • Painless neck lump
  • visible swelling of the neck
  • pressure, swallowing or breathing difficulty with a large goitre
  • overactive thyroid from a 'hot' nodule
  • usually found incidentally

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Noisy breathing or struggling to breathe
  • see a doctor soon A lump growing fast over weeks
  • see a doctor soon Hoarse voice for over 3 weeks
  • see a doctor soon Hard lump with swollen glands in the neck

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Ultrasound risk scoring (TI-RADS) and fine-needle aspiration only of suspicious nodules trials support
  • ultrasound follow-up of benign ones, less often over time
  • radioactive iodine or surgery for overactive nodules
  • surgery for pressure symptoms
  • Levothyroxine suppression — abandoned: harm without benefit not confirmed in trials

Natural & lifestyle

  • Iodine sufficiency (iodised salt)
  • avoid unnecessary neck CT radiation

Emerging & experimental

  • Molecular marker panels to avoid surgery
  • radiofrequency ablation of benign nodules

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Myo-inositol with selenium — small studies of smaller nodules early / small studies
  • Iodine supplements to shrink nodules — can trigger hyperthyroidism; not advised anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes