# Ultrasound results- what do they mean?



## hayperk (Aug 11, 2013)

I am new to this thyroid stuff. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in February. I had an MRI for something unrelated and it showed a lesion on my thyroid and that prompted the ultrasound.

My Dr. is out of town, but I managed to get a copy of the report and I was hoping that some of you could offer some input about what it says.

"The entire thyroid gland is heterogeneous and somewhat even mottled in appearance. In the left lobe superiorly there is question of a 1.1 cm subtle hypoechoic nodule. This may be just more heterogeneity though. There is symmetric color Doppler flow seen to the gland. No extra thyroid mass. The isthmus is not thickened. No cystic change."

Thanks for any input and comments you may have.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

It sounds very much like a Hashi's thyroid - lumpy! 

You'll have to see what your doctor says but if s/he feels that 1.1cm nodule is in fact a discrete nodule, you should get it biopsied. Symmetric Doppler flow is a positive sign.


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## hayperk (Aug 11, 2013)

Thanks Joplin1975. My limited research this far was leading me to believe Hashimotos might be what the Dr says.

The radiologist impression said thyroiditis or infiltration. Is that the same thing? And he recommends either thyroid uptake testing (I'm not sure what that is) or a biopsy of the nodule.

I am anxious for the Dr. to call. I hope she calls early this week so I know what her plans are. The waiting and wondering are difficult.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, thyroiditis is essentially an inflamed and grumpy thyroid, usually from an attack of antibodies (meaning you have Hashi's or a related autoimmune condition).

The uptake testing probably wouldn't be a bad idea. Essentially, you swallow a pill with a tracer dose of radioactive iodine, which your thyroid absorbs. They then scan you thyroid...normal tissue absorbs the iodine relatively homogeneously. If that nodule is worrisome, it would either uptake the iodine quicker than the surrounding tissue or sometimes slower/shows no uptake. In those cases, you'd definitely want to peruse a biopsy.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

hayperk said:


> Thanks Joplin1975. My limited research this far was leading me to believe Hashimotos might be what the Dr says.
> 
> The radiologist impression said thyroiditis or infiltration. Is that the same thing? And he recommends either thyroid uptake testing (I'm not sure what that is) or a biopsy of the nodule.
> 
> I am anxious for the Dr. to call. I hope she calls early this week so I know what her plans are. The waiting and wondering are difficult.


I would get the RAIU because ultra-sounds to have limitations.
RAIU
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=thyroiduptake

Let us know!


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