Hi Dr. Lupo and all,
I am 41 male, I had been on Tapazole for Hyperthyroid over a year and stopped it in Feb this year. I have two questions about my recent thyroid ultrasound, could you please give me some suggestions?
1. Does the thyroid nodule look benign based on the two ultrasounds in half year? I don’t understand the meaning of the word “subtle” in medical term, is that to say the nodule is becoming thin, fading out compared with previous scan?
2. Do you think these lymph nodes in the neck area are becoming larger? Can it be indicating the infection or malignant nodule?
Thanks you ever so much!
Latest blood work: Aug 13, 2012
sTSH: 1.19 mIU/L
FT4: 12 pmol/L
Ultrasound: Sep 18, 2012
In the right lobe again noted is the slightly hypoechoic somewhat subtle nodule in the mid pole posteriorly measuring 7 mm in size showing almost no change
In the left parotid gland again noted is a small almost sonolucent nodule measuring 7 mm in size showing some posterior enhancement, previously 1 cm in size.
There are bilateral neck lymph nodes seen two in the right submandibular area measuring 1.8cm and 1.7cm in size and the rest at the mid lateral neck level measuring 1.2cm.
On the left lateral neck two in the submandibular area largest measuring 1.4cm and one at the mid level measuring 8mm.
IMPRESSION: 7 mm nodule at the right lobe of the thyroid showing no change in size compared with March 2012.
The 7 mm probably cystic nodule in the left parotid gland is slightly smaller than the previous of 1 cm.
Previous Test Result
Blood Work: Mar 15, 2012
sTSH: 1.33 mIU/L
FT3: 3.8 pmol/L
FT4: 16 pmol/L
Ultrasound: Mar 19, 2012
The thyroid is normal in size.
The right lobe measures 5.8x1.3x1.8 cm in dimension. There is a hypoechoic nodule in the mid-pole which is almost isoechoic measuring 7mm in largest dimension, better seen in the transverse rather than the sagittal scan.
The left lobe measures 4.4x1.1x1.6 cm in dimension, homogeneous.
The Isthmus is unremarkable.
The submandibular and the right parotid glands appear unremarkable. Within the left parotid gland, there is a hypoechoic nodule which measures just under 1 cm in diameter, sharply defined and smooth in outline of unknown nature, but still could represent a lymph node even though it does not have an echogenic hilum.
IMPRESSION:
7 mm almost isoechoic nodule in the right thyroid, 1 cm hypoechoic nodule in the left parotid gland, as described.