Today I spoke with my Internist/GP, and the CT results showed that I have several nodules on the left lobe of my thyroid. She ordered an ultrasound of the thyroid, which I had done at 1:45 p.m. I should have those results no later than next Wednesday.
Nodules may or may not be cancerous, though they are usually not. That's something to be happy about! With multiple nodules, it may be an indication of an enlarged thyroid. The ultrasound should shed more light on all of this.
I was curious as to why an ultrasound would show them more than a CT scan. I asked the technician who did the US and she said that US's are wonderful at imaging glands, especially the thyroid. Also, the CT scan was of the entire neck, not focused specifically on the thyroid. This should give us more answers.
I also had an appt. with my Uro yesterday. Because of my liver disease (which has been brought on by years of medication for lupus and arthritis) I can no longer take the medications for my bladder. I am also scheduled for a bladder hydrodistention next Friday morning. I really hate to do this on Jordan's birthday, but now that I have to stop the Elmiron treatment, the surgery is a must.
On the bright side, my list of daily medications just shortened by three meds. ;-> And my monthly cost for prescriptions just went down too!
I remain hopeful and in HIS loving care.
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the ultrasound can pic up the features as small as 1 mm, however usually the nodules of the thyrpoid are usually monitored for growth until they over 1 cm. For solid the nodules of this size and larger biopsy is recommended.
If nodules are present in the gland which has heterogeneous echotehture the cause of thyroid inflammatory process should be investigated.
Thanks, O.T. According to the nurse at the internist's office, these nodules are small, subcentimeter to be exact. But the problems that initiated all this testing were problems swallowing, hoarseness, tightness in the throat, and choking sensation. All of which had been cleared as any reaction to allergies. My question is, and perhaps you can answers, can a several, especially a cluster, of subcentimeter nodules obstruct the esophagus, as was shown on my x-ray?
If these nodules are solid and located close to esophagus the answer is yes; however the barium swallowing test should confirm that.
As esophagus expands during swallowing of the food it can press against the nodules causing irritation to itself. Therefore the ultrasound must include different views [side views; sometimes computer 3-d modeling can show if these nodules are pressing against the esophagus.
Less complicated case [and let's hope for it]if it is just an inflammation of the thyroid which causes the gland to be tender -hard rubber-like. This also can cause irritation and symptoms you are describing.
Best of luck!!
Let me defer to your wisdom once again...my barium swallow indicated that my esophagus was slightly deviated to the left, but there was no mention of the nodules. Perhaps the radiologist and/or doctor knew of them but did not mention them to me. The first I was made aware of them was after the CT scan. Would the CT scan show possible goiter or would the ultrasound be the most reliable for that? My paternal grandmother had her thyroid removed due to goiter, as well as about 4 other relatives on that side of the family. Not sure if goiter is a hereditary condition, and not sure yet if that's whats going on with me. I still have all this constricting feeling in my neck near my thryroid in the absense of any other known cause. Thanks for the advice!
The ultrasound is the best so far to be used for thyroid imaging as it is more “picky” to differentiate between the tissues [each type of tissue has specific range of ultrasound wave lengths reflected so on the screen it translates into the different shades of “gray”. The x-ray , CT scan and MRI imaging have lower resolution; X-ray for example, picks up calcium deposits in case of arthritis, but shows not much information about the soft tissue imaging [unless contrast is used]. For nodule evaluation, in addition to black-and white ultrasound, the Doppler color flow is used to detect increased blood flow in the nodule. If RAI scan is required, the area of inflammation generally have very low uptake [same as a cold nodules]; the RAI scan and the ultrasound are often used together for best thyroid evaluation.
Thyroid disorders of autoimmune nature can run in families [as well as diabetes];
Some thyroid swellings are visible on the patient’s neck as a mass that moves up during the swallowing with neck extended, however the ultrasound evaluation should give the necessary answer.
I do have a history of autoimmune disorders, namely lupus. Would that predispose me to any thing like Hashimoto's?
BTW, are you a doctor, nurse, or what? Thanks again for all the info!
I am a biomedical engineer.
People with disorders have increased increases risk of developing Hashimoto's thyroiditis. There is a proven link between type 1 diabetes and thyroid disorders.
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