About Karen Brawner Expertise I will answer any questions you have regarding the thyroid whether it be cancer, cysts (types), hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, blood tests for thyroid problems, surgery, fine needle biopsies etc...
Experience My complex cysts on my right thyroid gland and the isthmus were found my accident when my doctor thought I was having a TIA. The ultrasound found a complex cysts the size of a golf ball (which turned out to be the size of a tennis ball when it was surgically remove). Doctors were totally surprised because for 5 years, including the day I went to surgery, all of my thyroid blood work was "within the normal range". So much for blood work being conclusive..
I have just today had my first Thyroid Ultrasound done but cannot get an appointment with my doctor until next week and would appreciate if you would explain the report in easier terms to me. (Some background: I have been on Oroxine 100mcg the last 10+ years (originally diagnosed due to major hair loss) but my symptoms, including difficulty in swallowing with the feeling of a breadcrumb stuck in my throat and chocking (past 6 months) have progressively become worse but are still reasonable acceptable to enable me to function most days. My (new) doctor thought I might have Hashimotos because of the ups and downs and has ordered the Ultrasound.
Basically the report reads as follows: "There is a solitary mid pole nodule laterally in the mid pole of the right lobe, 6x5x7mm in diameter, which is solid and hypoechoic. The isthmus appears within normal limits and the left lobe normal in echogenicity demonstrating no evidence of nodular change. Summary: There is a solitary hypoechoic nodule 6mm in maximum diameter mid pole of the right lobe. This is not hypervascular and a progress ultrasound in three months would exclude any changes in size. Alternatively a tissue diagnosis of the solitary nodule could be performed by FNA under ultrasound control.
My question: Would you please explain this report a little bit more to me as well as the terms "hypervascular" "hypoechoic" and "isthmus". I have read your various comments on nodules and also that a FNA is not always accurate, however, I am still confused what my report actually means. Would you suggest I should wait the three months to see if there are further changes in size?
Your soonest response would be appreciated.
Kind regards
Simone
Answer Dear Simone, Hypervascular means that the tumor contains an excessive number of blood vessels which is NOT normal...Therefore, your is NOT hypervascular so it is considered not to contain too many blood vessels....
Hypoechoic means that the mass is SOLID...
The isthmus is a part of the thyroid that actually holds the right and left thyroid gland together....
I also want to make sure that you know that with an ultrasound the ACTUAL size of the mass may not be accurate.... When I had my ultrasound done, the US report stated the complex cyst was the size of a golf ball, but when the surgeon go in there, it was found to be the size of a tennis ball and part of the cyst was hidden on the ultrasound and that is why it was not picked up...
I too was having difficulty swallowing and I would choak on liquids along with solids and even at night while I was sleeping, I would awake choaking on my own salava...
My family doctor wanted to play the wait and see game too, but I knew that I needed a second opion and she sent me to her husband who was a surgeon and he took one look at the ultrasound, listened to my symptom of choaking and decided that this needed to come out and he removed by right thyroid gland (contained a complex cyst, not a solid mass like yours) and also the isthmus (also contained a complex cyst)....
Therefore, I feel that you TOO should get a second opinion for a SURGEON, who will look at the ultrasound and read the radiology report and determine based on YOUR symptoms, if waiting is the best thing....
