Thyroid adenoma treatment

International standards for the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid adenoma abroad

In foreign clinics, the examination of each patient includes the determination of the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and ultrasound. Hyperthyroidism (elevated TSH levels) is often associated with the presence of neoplasms in the organ. If TSH is lowered, foreign doctors measure free T4 and perform scintigraphy.

Doctors in foreign clinics prescribe cytological examinations to the patient with following indications:

• Any knot larger than 1 cm,
• High-risk clinical characteristics or family history,
• Suspicious signs of ultrasound,
• Paralysis of the vocal cords.

Scintigraphy

This is visualization of organs using radioactively labeled substances. Thyroid tissue is characterized by the ability to store iodine. Radioiodine scintigraphy uses this: if radioactively labeled iodine (technetium) is injected into the blood, it accumulates in the tissue and will be visible with X-ray film.

Fine needle biopsy

To determine the benign quality of the neoplasm and to confirm the diagnosis of adenoma, a fine-needle biopsy is performed in foreign clinics. In this procedure, cells are taken from a suspicious area of ​​an organ using a fine needle under ultrasound guidance and examined under a microscope (cytology).

Surgical removal

Doctors of foreign clinics recommend an operation to remove part or all of the thyroid gland if:

• The thyroid gland produces too many hormones.
• The patient has symptoms such as trouble swallowing or breathing.
• Increased risk of thyroid cancer.

Ethanol destruction

Clinics abroad carry out alcohol destruction – the introduction of ethanol (alcohol) into the adenoma in order to reduce it. It is a reliable method and does not require surgery.

Drug therapy

When adenomas produce too much thyroid hormone, patients are treated with radioactive iodine. It reduces node’s size and activity.