Thyroid Lesion Screening | Cardiovascular & Ultrasound Tests

How is a Thyroid screening done?

The thyroid screening is painless and non-invasive. It is conducted on the participant's neck as the participant lays on their back while the technician uses an ultrasound to view and take measurements of your thyroid. The technician will take images and make notes of any lesions viewed.

What causes a Thyroid Lesion?

Several conditions can cause nodules to develop in your thyroid gland, including:

Overgrowth of normal thyroid tissue. An overgrowth of normal thyroid tissue is sometimes referred to as a thyroid adenoma. It's unclear why this occurs, but it's not cancerous and isn't considered serious unless it causes bothersome symptoms from its size.
Some thyroid adenomas lead to hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid cyst. Fluid-filled cavities (cysts) in the thyroid most commonly result from degenerating thyroid adenomas. Often, solid components are mixed with fluid in thyroid cysts. Cysts are usually noncancerous, but they occasionally contain cancerous solid components.
Chronic inflammation of the thyroid. Hashimoto's disease, a thyroid disorder, can cause thyroid inflammation and result in enlarged nodules. This often is associated with hypothyroidism.
Multinodular goiter. The term goiter is used to describe any enlargement of the thyroid gland, which can be caused by iodine deficiency or a thyroid disorder. A multinodular goiter contains multiple distinct nodules within the goiter, but its cause is less clear.
Thyroid cancer. The chances that a nodule is cancerous are small. However, a nodule that is large and hard or causes pain or discomfort is more worrisome. You will likely want to have it checked by your doctor.
Certain factors increase your risk of thyroid cancer, such as a family history of thyroid or other endocrine cancers and having a history of radiation exposure from medical therapy or from nuclear fallout.
Iodine deficiency. Lack of iodine in your diet can sometimes cause your thyroid gland to develop thyroid nodules. But iodine deficiency is uncommon in the United States, where iodine is routinely added to table salt and other foods.

Warning Signs of Thyroid Lesions

Most thyroid nodules don't cause signs or symptoms. But occasionally some nodules become so large that they can:

Be felt
Be seen, often as a swelling at the base of your neck
Press on your windpipe or esophagus, causing shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing

In some cases, thyroid nodules produce additional thyroxine, a hormone secreted by your thyroid gland. The extra thyroxine can cause symptoms of an overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism), such as:

Unexplained weight loss
Increased sweating
Tremor
Nervousness
Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Only a small number of thyroid nodules are cancerous. But determining which nodules are cancerous can't be done by evaluating your symptoms alone. Most cancerous thyroid nodules are slow growing and may be small when your doctor discovers them.

When to see a doctor

Although most thyroid nodules are noncancerous and don't cause problems, ask your doctor to evaluate any unusual swelling in your neck, especially if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. It's important to evaluate the possibility of cancer.

Seek medical care if you develop signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism, such as:

Sudden weight loss even though your appetite is normal or has increased
A pounding heart
Trouble sleeping
Muscle weakness
Nervousness or irritability

Also see your doctor if you have signs and symptoms that may mean your thyroid gland isn't making enough thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), which include:

Feeling cold
Feeling tired more easily
Dry skin
Memory problems
Depression
Constipation