This is multi-nodular goiter. The key here is working with a doctor who does his/her own ultrasound who is able to determine which nodules are suspicious and need biopsy. The larger one with calcifications needed FNA. Most of these are benign and can be followed but if there are pressure symptoms or continued growth, then surgery may be reasonable. Insulin resistance (your early diabetes and fatty liver) is a risk factor for thyroid nodules like this and possibly an increased risk for thyroid cancer, but not enough to go straight to surgery.
Thank you for your advise.
What is FNA? The nodules that was biopsy'd was the biggest one because they cant biopsy all the 5 big ones.
I am taking metformin 500 mg once a day for my diabetes. if i belong to a risk for thyroid cancer isn't that reason enough to go to surgery? if not, what should I do?
appreciate your advise.
Thanks,
Marifi
FNA is 'fine needle biopsy.' I had this done on nodules found on my thyroid. The procedure for me was not painful and I did it without lidocaine. Four aspirations were taken and cell 'suspicious for follicular neoplasm' were discovered. The only alternative offered was surgery, which was removal of the thyroid lobe on which these nodules were present. It's not possible to take just the nodule, as they are 'vascular,' meaning too much circulatory interaction between the nodule and the thyroid tissue itself.
They did a PT (partial thyroidectomy) and removed the right thyroid. Pathology report then came back benign. I have several small nodules on my left thyroid lobe, but for now, nothing is to be done with those.