Can thyroid nodules be treated?

Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
Updated on December 30, 2024
00:00
00:00

It depends on the situation. For some patients, we can evaluate whether thyroid nodules are accompanied by changes in thyroid function. If there is an overactive thyroid, antithyroid treatment is necessary. If there is underactive thyroid function, appropriate thyroid hormone supplementation is needed, and some patients' nodules can shrink. Additionally, for some thyroid nodules, if there are no accompanying changes in thyroid function, and the nodules are assessed as benign through ultrasound and other evaluations, no special treatment is generally needed. It is recommended to monitor thyroid ultrasound and function every six months to a year. Furthermore, if some thyroid nodules grow rapidly or there is a potential for cancerous changes, or if there are significant compressive symptoms, we can also perform a fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid cells, or surgical treatment. Therefore, whether thyroid nodules can be treated also depends on the situation.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guo Min
Endocrinology
1min 1sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of thyroid nodules?

Thyroid nodules are formed due to the proliferation of thyroid tissue into masses, and clinically, these nodules are categorized as either benign or malignant, and as cystic or solid. Generally, cystic nodules are benign. However, a portion of solid nodules are malignant. Therefore, in the early stages, a patient with thyroid nodules might not exhibit any symptoms because the nodules are relatively small. As the thyroid nodules progressively enlarge, for instance, when they grow larger than two or three centimeters, the patient may start feeling discomfort in the neck. Some patients with nodules that grow inward can experience compression of the trachea, leading to difficulties in swallowing and breathing obstruction. Thus, when feeling discomfort in the neck, it is crucial to go to the hospital for an ultrasound to confirm whether thyroid nodules are present.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
35sec home-news-image

Thyroid nodule surgery risks

The hazards of thyroid surgery actually refer to the risks involved in thyroid surgery. Thyroid surgery is now a common treatment method. The main risks of thyroid surgery include anesthesia on one hand, and postoperative bleeding on the other. There might be a need for a second incision for decompression. The most common complications are choking while drinking water and hoarseness of voice, mainly due to the involvement or damage to relevant nerves during the surgery. Generally, these complications resolve after a period of adjustment, and most people can recover normally.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
1min 10sec home-news-image

"Malignant thyroid nodules" means what?

Thyroid nodules are assessed under ultrasound with a grading system, and if rated at level three or higher, they tend to be more likely to be malignant. The most common malignancy in thyroid nodules is thyroid cancer. Among all types of tumors, thyroid cancer tends to grow slowly and is relatively less malignant. Therefore, if an ultrasound suggests a high likelihood of malignancy in a thyroid nodule, further examinations should be conducted. This can include a fine needle aspiration biopsy, thyroid contrast-enhanced ultrasound, or even direct surgical removal of the malignant nodule for further pathological examination to determine whether it is benign or malignant. Since the degree of malignancy of thyroid nodules is relatively low compared to other malignant tumors, a high grading score on a thyroid nodule should not be overly worrying. It is advisable to proceed with formal medical checks and regular follow-ups, as the five-year survival rate is quite high, exceeding 80%.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
52sec home-news-image

The difference between thyroid nodules and nodular goiter

Thyroid nodules are the clinical manifestations of nodular goiter, and nodular goiter is the cause of thyroid nodules. Nodular goiter generally occurs in iodine-deficient areas, forming these partial or multiple thyroid nodules. Thyroid nodules are the clinical manifestations of nodular goiter; the nodules in the thyroid can be single or multiple and can cause abnormal thyroid function, although thyroid function can also be normal in the early stages. Therefore, when performing an ultrasound, if thyroid nodules are discovered, it is necessary to further assess thyroid function and dynamically track changes in the size of the thyroid nodules to determine whether it is nodular goiter.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
36sec home-news-image

How to deal with calcification of thyroid nodules?

Thyroid nodules calcification can be divided into coarse calcification and microcalcification. Coarse calcification is generally benign, and benign conditions do not require special treatment. When a large nodule causes compression symptoms and affects our appearance, surgical removal can be considered. Microcalcification is mostly likely to become malignant, therefore, cytological biopsy of the thyroid should be performed. If it is benign, we can continue to observe it. If it is malignant, we can treat it with surgery, comprehensive therapy, or radiotherapy.