Thyroid
November 10, 2016 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med Ralf von Seckendorff
Hello, I must ask you something urgently. Last Friday, I went to my family doctor because I have been feeling a strange sensation on the right side of my neck for a few weeks. My doctor couldn't see anything immediately, so he did an ultrasound and said, "There is a nodule on the thyroid, we need to investigate." The medical assistant immediately scheduled an appointment for me with another doctor for a scintigraphy, and I got an appointment for next Wednesday. The medical assistant also took blood for thyroid levels, and when I called three days later, she said the levels were off and that I should take tablets. She asked the boss, but the doctor said he wouldn't prescribe anything and that I should go for the scintigraphy. (I should also mention that I had very swollen lymph nodes in my neck in the summer, and when I went to the family doctor, he just said there was nothing wrong.) This all sounds very worrying to me, and I am starting to think I have cancer. Please tell me your honest opinion. Best regards.
Hello,
I am happy to help you. The nodule in the thyroid does not have to be cancer, it could also be a benign nodule (such as a hot nodule) or a cyst. This can only be determined more accurately after a review of all findings, including the scintigraphy. If there is a so-called "cold nodule" in the scintigraphy, it may be recommended to take a tissue sample after comparing it with the ultrasound images (using a very thin needle). This way, we will know exactly what is going on. Your doctor probably wants to wait for all results before making any decisions regarding medication.
So, it is unfortunately not completely clear, but there are also other possibilities besides cancer for your nodule. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck in the summer may have had other harmless infections as a cause, especially if they have disappeared. Lymph nodes affected by cancer would usually continue to grow.
Unfortunately, you will have to be patient for a little while longer.
I wish you all the best!
Kind regards
