If an endocrinologist asks you to undergo a thyroid uptake scan, you will have to take a small amount of radioactive isotope that will get absorbed by the thyroid gland. Within 24 hours of swallowing the radioactive isotope, pictures will be taken of your thyroid. This test helps to determine if a thyroid nodule is an active part of the thyroid tissue or not. When the nodule comes back as 'cold' this means that it didn't absorb as much of the radioactive isotope; as it would be expected by tissue that is an active part of the thyroid gland. A 'cold' nodule doesn't necessarily mean that you have cancer. It just means that your doctor might want to undergo further testing to determine if there is a need to monitor the nodule or surgically remove it.
There's blood supply inside of it not just leading to it
What is Hypoechoic to Isoechoic Nodule
After performing a thyroid scan uptake, if it is determined that there is a hot nodule it typically means that the nodule is hyperfuncitioning. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists ThyroidAwareness.com website, "The scan tells whether the nodule is hyperfunctioning (a "hot" nodule), or taking up more radioactivity than normal thyroid tissue does; taking up the same amount as normal tissue (a "warm" nodule); or taking up less (a "cold" nodule). Because cancer is rarely found in hot nodules, a scan showing a hot nodule eliminates the need for fine needle biopsy. If a hot nodule causes hyperthyroidism, it can be treated with radioiodine or surgery."
A thyroid nodule is simply a mass in your thyroid. Hyperechoic is a term used in ultrasound which determines how bright or dark the nodule is. Ultrasound is all black, white, and gray scales, so a hyperechoic nodule would be a mass in the thyroid that is BRIGHTER than the rest of the thyroid tissue.
Goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland. Nodules are growths that lead to the enlargements. Multinodular means that there are many nodules. Heterogeneous means that there is no pattern to the nodules. it is a benign condition.
what does it mean heterogeneous signal in the thyroid gland and a left lobe nodule meawsuring approximately 6mm.
Thyroid cysts are nodules filled with fluid. They can be small or large. If a nodule has both solid and fluid parts, it is called a complex nodule, and need to be removed if they cause pain or difficulty when swallowing.
An estimated 1,590 people will die of thyroid cancer during 2009. Thyroid cancer is, however, considered one of the least deadly and most survivable cancers, and 5-year survival rates for thyroid cancer is almost 97%. For more information on this cancer please visit http://thyroid.about.com/od/thyroidcancer/a/neckcheck.htm
It is best to ask your doctor a question like this, as the meaning may be different for different medical circumstances.
cancer
An enlarged thyroid could mean a number of things. The actual term means that the thyroid gland, which controls most hormones in your body, has been enlarged. This could mean the possibility of thyroid disease, or possibly even thyroid cancer.
This means that there is a nodular growth in the left thyroid gland that appears mixed, with areas of similar echogenicity to the surrounding tissue, as well as cystic areas. The presence of only a small amount of normal tissue in the upper pole suggests that the nodule is relatively large and may be compressing or displacing normal thyroid tissue. Further evaluation or testing may be needed to determine the nature of the nodule and its potential impact on thyroid function.