Possible to have a goiter with no thyroid?

[G2G2]

I'm worried about my brother-in-law & don't have any of his lab results. He had his thyroid removed decades ago & now has a goiter. Is this possible? His doctor isn't concerned. Thanks.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I don't think so - but...

It is possible for thyroid tissue to re-grow, though that might not be very effective at producing thyroid hormones.

It is possible for some sort of swelliing or lump to appear just about anywhere. I'd have thought an ultrasound scan might be appropriate as the first step.

[G2G2 in reply to helvella]

Thanks.

[MaisieGray]

As a goitre is a swelling of the thyroid gland, if you have no thyroid, by definition you can have no goitre. Therefore if your brother in law has a swelling in his throat, it either isn't a goitre but something else; or he had a partial rather than total thyroidectomy; or he had a TT but there was some degree of residual tissue left in situ, which has since regenerated. In either case, having a neck swelling warrants investigation, and not the Dr dismissing it as being of no concern - if only out of professional interest that a patient without a thyroid appears to have a goitre!

[G2G2 in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks, Maisie. Good point that some thyroid tissue grew back.