Which department for thyroid nodules?

Written by Zhao Xin Lan
Endocrinology
Updated on June 24, 2025
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Which department to see for thyroid nodules depends on the specific condition of the nodules. If the nodule is relatively small and does not cause local compression symptoms, such as respiratory difficulty, shortness of breath, or difficulty swallowing, then you can visit the endocrinology department to check the functional state of the thyroid nodules as well as use ultrasound to assess whether the thyroid nodules are benign or malignant. If the nodule is large, exceeding ten centimeters, and has caused symptoms such as hoarseness, shortness of breath, and difficulty swallowing, then it is necessary to visit the thyroid surgery department, where surgical treatment may be needed to relieve the symptoms.

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Diet for thyroid nodules calcification

Patients with calcified thyroid nodules need to be cautious about their diet. Firstly, they should avoid irritating foods such as chili peppers, ginger, garlic, strong tea, coffee, and alcohol. Secondly, they should not consume foods high in fiber as these can cause diarrhea. Instead, they should eat foods rich in carbohydrates and fats, which provide energy and reduce the consumption of proteins in the body, as proteins play an important role in physiological regulation. Additionally, these patients should consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals to aid physiological metabolism. Lastly, it is beneficial for patients with calcified thyroid nodules to include animal organs in their diet.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
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Causes of thyroid nodules

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical disease, more prevalent in women and the elderly, with 5%-15% of thyroid nodules being malignant. They are influenced by age, gender, history of radiation exposure, family history, and other factors. Common causes of thyroid conditions include benign adenomas, focal thyroiditis, multinodular goiter, cysts of the thyroid or parathyroid, or thyroglossal duct cysts. Additionally, unilateral developmental defects of the thyroid can lead to hyperplasia of the thyroid on the opposite side. After surgical removal of thyroid nodules or treatment with Iodine-131, scars and hyperplasia of the remaining thyroid tissue are also common causes of thyroid nodules.

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Written by Hu Jian Zhuo
Nephrology and Endocrinology
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Does thyroid nodule puncture hurt?

Fine needle aspiration is an invasive examination, but it is currently an important and most efficient method for assessing benign and malignant conditions, generally conducted under ultrasound guidance. Thyroid nodule aspiration does not cause much pain, similar to that of an injection. Anesthetics are used during the procedure, so the pain is not very noticeable. However, as the effect of the anesthetic wears off, there may still be some pain at the puncture site, but the patients do not need to carry a heavy psychological burden.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
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How to cure thyroid nodules

The treatment of thyroid nodules is primarily based on whether the nodules are benign or malignant. For nodules that are highly suspected to be malignant clinically, or are confirmed to be suspiciously malignant or malignant through thyroid fine needle aspiration, surgical treatment is required and generally yields good results. The second type is benign nodules, for which studies have shown that treatment with levothyroxine can suppress and reduce the size of the nodules, but this is only effective in some iodine-deficient areas. Another type is hyperfunctioning hot nodules, which can be treated with isotope therapy and radioactive iodine. Additionally, if the thyroid nodule causes compressive symptoms, appears behind the sternum or within the mediastinum, and is associated with high-risk factors for thyroid cancer, surgical removal is recommended. For benign thyroid nodules, usually, only regular follow-up with thyroid ultrasound is required; if the ultrasound follow-up shows more than a 50% increase in the size of the thyroid nodule, further thyroid fine needle aspiration is needed, and surgery may be necessary if required.

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General Surgery
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How to Treat Calcification of Thyroid Nodules

In the treatment of thyroid nodule calcification, we generally decide based on the size of the calcification. Usually, larger calcifications have a lower malignancy rate. Such calcifications can continue to be observed. Depending on specific circumstances, a fine needle aspiration cytology test may be chosen. Depending on the results of the pathological examination after the aspiration, we decide the next treatment approach, whether to continue observation or proceed with surgery. The second type involves smaller calcifications, which relatively have a higher malignancy rate. Our preferred treatment is surgery. During the surgery, based on the medical examination results, if the nodule is malignant, we need to further devise other treatment plans, including expanded surgery, radiotherapy, etc.