What Are Thyroid Nodules? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Thyroid nodules are unusual lumps, growths, or tumors that form in the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck that produces hormones to help regulate metabolism and other bodily functions. Thyroid nodules are common and typically don’t cause symptoms. In most cases, they’re benign (noncancerous). But occasionally they can be cancerous.

What Are Thyroid Nodules?

Thyroid nodules are unusual solid or fluid-filled lumps, growths, or tumors that develop in the thyroid gland, located in the front of the neck below your Adam’s apple.

Thyroid nodules generally don’t cause symptoms, which can make it challenging to know if you have them. Most people don’t realize they have a thyroid nodule until it’s spotted during a regular checkup or a scan.

• A lump or swelling in the neck due to an enlarged thyroid (goiter)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fullness, pressure, or pain in the front of the neck
• Hoarseness or changes to your voice

• Anxiety or nervousness
• Diarrhea or more frequent bowel movements than usual
• Increased appetite
• Missed or light menstrual periods
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Sleep problems
• Sudden weight loss

Types of Thyroid Nodules

• Cystic (filled with fluid)
• Solid
• Solitary (only one nodule)
• Multiple (more than one nodule)

• Colloid nodules are benign overgrowths of normal thyroid tissue.
• Thyroid adenomas are benign growths of normal thyroid tissue within the gland. These include toxic adenomas, which are nodules that secrete excess thyroid hormone and can lead to hyperthyroidism. This condition can cause muscle weakness, difficulty tolerating heat, weight loss, irritability, or anxiousness.
• Thyroid cysts are fluid-filled nodules that are normally benign and have a very low risk of being cancerous.
• Multinodular goiter is when the thyroid becomes enlarged and develops a group of nodules.
• Thyroid cancer develops if normal thyroid cells become cancerous. Although cancerous nodules are most likely to be solid and hard, the majority of solid thyroid nodules are not cancerous.

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• Iodine deficiency
• Having other family members with thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer
• Having undergone radiation to the neck
• Older age
• Smoking

• Male
• Younger than age 20 or older than 70
• A family history of thyroid cancer
• Exposure to radiation in the head or neck areas
• With solid or hard nodules rather than fluid-filled ones
• With nodules that are stuck to nearby tissues or organs

• Palpation of the thyroid is when your doctor feels your thyroid for nodules during an exam.
• Ultrasound of the thyroid and neck helps doctors assess the size and nature of the nodules. This information can help your doctor decide if you need further testing or if your nodules need treatment.

If your doctor diagnoses you with thyroid nodules, they may need to do further testing to determine if the nodules are benign or cancerous. They may do this through a biopsy, which involves using a thin needle to remove a small sample of tissue from a thyroid nodule to examine it under a microscope and determine if it’s benign or cancerous.

• If the nodule is larger than 1 centimeter
• If the nodule is solid
• If the nodule doesn’t have smooth borders
• If the nodule has microcalcifications, or small bright white spots that can be seen on an ultrasound

• Watchful Waiting You and your doctor may decide not to treat your nodules if they’re benign, but you’ll see your doctor every 6 to 12 months to monitor for any growth or changes in your nodules to ensure they’re still benign.

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• Radioactive Iodine This treatment can be used for hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules, as well as goiters with multiple nodules. Your nodules will shrink when your thyroid gland absorbs the radioactive iodine.
• Radiofrequency Ablation This treatment option is sometimes used to treat benign nodules. Using ultrasound and a probe, your doctor will treat the nodules with electrical current and heat to shrink them.

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• Surgery Your doctor may recommend surgical removal of nodules if they’re cancerous, suspected to be cancerous, or are causing breathing or swallowing problems.
• Treatment for Hyperthyroidism If your nodules are causing your thyroid to overproduce the hormone thyroxine and lead to hyperthyroidism, your doctor will recommend specific treatments for hyperthyroidism.

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• Maintain or try to reach a healthy weight, since obesity is a risk factor for thyroid nodules.
• Quit smoking, since smoking is also a risk factor for nodules.
• Ensure that you get enough iodine in your diet, as iodine deficiency can lead to nodules. Using iodized table salt can usually help.

• Age when diagnosed
• Nodule size
• Stage of cancer and whether it has spread to other parts of your body
• Type of cancer

Your doctor will give you a more accurate prognosis and treatment plan based on your specific circumstances.

• Difficulty Breathing or Swallowing This can happen especially if your nodules are large or you have a goiter with multiple nodules.
• Hyperthyroidism Certain nodules can lead to an overproduction of thyroid hormones and, eventually, hyperthyroidism.
• Issues From Surgery You may need to take thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the rest of your life if you need surgery to remove nodules.

Health conditions sometimes linked to thyroid nodules may include the following:

• Hashimoto’s disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Iodine deficiency
• Thyroid cancer

• Thyroid nodules are lumps or growths of cells that form in the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck and helps regulate essential bodily functions like metabolism.
• Most nodules are benign and found during routine exams, but they can occasionally be cancerous.
• If you suspect you have thyroid nodules, talk to your doctor.