Ultrasound of thyroid: I’ve been hypo (Hashimoto... - Thyroid UK

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Ultrasound of thyroid

Wired123 profile image
11 Replies

I’ve been hypo (Hashimoto’s) for over 12 years and have had nine Endos!

No once has any of them organised an ultrasound scan of my thyroid. Is this worth doing and what would one be looking for.

I have a private Endo appt this week and might request that we do the scan if there is any clinical need or if it should be monitored from time to time. I imagine I don’t have much of a gland left anyway.

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Wired123 profile image
Wired123
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11 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Well, that's it. One of the things they're looking for is signs of Hashi's/Ords, if you antibodies were inconclusive. They also look for nodules - size of and (if hyper) are they producing hormone. Quite a few reasons for doing a scan. :)

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18

My first appointment with an Endocronologist was in 2011. I have had 11 ultrasounds .... the endocrinologist just kept monitoring me. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto hypothyroidism and then she gave me Tirosint in 2017.

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator in reply to Hamster18

Why was that hamster18? Were they focussing on thyroid each time? I’ve had a few but not that many!

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply to PurpleNails

The reason being is I had lots of nodules. They gave me a supplement called Normotir to take and my endocronologist kept monitoring me. You can only buy Normotir in Italy.

Fish oil : 115,00 mg

EPA 21,00 mg

DHA 14,00 mg

Vitamina E 30,00 mg a-TE 250

Vitamina B2 2,40 mg 171

Acido folico 300,00 mcg 150

Vitamina D 7,50 mcg 150

Ferro 21,00 mg 150

Selenio 82,50 mcg 150

In Italy they do a lot of ultrasounds ... as for being given the right medication that's another story!

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator in reply to Hamster18

I have a large solitary nodule. It was scanned & had fine needle aspiration on 1st visit. They repeated it as it grew. But doctors had missed that it was hyper functioning, otherwise I don’t think it would have repeated the scan. No further thyroid ultrasounds but had uptake scan. Having further necks scan separate to thyroid this time.

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply to PurpleNails

I have always had both blood tests and ultrasound. When I go to my endocrinologist I have to go with a recent blood test. This is the way it works here.

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator

Ultra sounds aren’t routinely arranged as doctors rely on blood tests. Often they are only requested for “structural” issues ie a visible lump, or swelling which is affecting the breathing, swallowing or voice. The size and health can give a accurate indication of hashimotos and nodules can be detected but an ultrasound can’t conclusive determine the function. For example if nodules are hyper functioning. A specialist thyroid scan using radioactive tracer can be used to measure uptake but that is usually only undertaken if blood tests can’t find the cause.

Wired123 profile image
Wired123

I do sometimes end up with a sore Adam’s apple area if I wear a tie. Perhaps that’s a good reason for a scan

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18

They should do this automatically. When I go she always carries out an ultrasound test

Yeswithasmile profile image
Yeswithasmile

Hi Dk123

I was offered one once by a locum gp I saw. The surgery cancelled it. I was never offered one again. I’m under an endo. He’s never mentioned it. So a couple of months ago I booked one privately. I got up one morning, googled it and within 10 mins I had appt for the following day.

Nothing to declare. Obviously it wasn’t great but I left feeling a bit better about it. There wasn’t anything obvious apart from size and texture so any idea that I may have lumps etc were unfounded.

I would say if you can have one, do. Peace of mind and all that.

milkwoman profile image
milkwoman

I’m in the USA and I get a yearly U/S to monitor thyroid nodules and the overall health of my thyroid gland.

My endo is looking to see if any nodules are growing rapidly or are large in size (either could indicate cancer). I’ve also had two FNA’s to check “suspicious” nodules (so far so good) and am due for a third FNA on one nodule that has grown since my previous scan.

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