Thanks for any input , I understand it's your own personal journey but some one maybe able to shed some light

[Feedbackwelcome]

Hey all any input welcome , what is the difference between a tyroid nodule and a parathyroid adenoma??

[helvella Administrator]

A parathyroid adenoma is a benign tumour on one of your parathyroid glands. It can cause hyperparathyroidism resulting is elevated calcium levels.

Parathyroid Tumors

msdmanuals.com/professional...

Thyroid nodules are common but more diverse. They need to be followed up and that might include various forms of imaging and a fine needle aspiration to get some cells for further analysis.

Approach to the Patient With a Thyroid Nodule

msdmanuals.com/professional...

I often mention the site below when people need to interpret a scan of any sort. It can be hard going - it has an awful lot to it. And it can be difficult to understand. But it seems to have more comprehensive information than anywhere else I have found.

Radiopaedia

Search results for “thyroid nodule”

radiopaedia.org/search?q=th...

I'm very disappointed that you have had to come here to ask that. The people who requested the scan should have taken on the job of explaining the results. And discussed what they mean and what options you have.

Please do bear in mind, I have tried to point you at some conventional sources of more information. But I actually know very little about adenomas and nodules.

Other members will have had similar scan results and might see your post and, hopefully, reply.

[Feedbackwelcome in reply to helvella]

My g.p said it was nt his area so didn't want to speculate so referred me to general surgery so am awaiting app so hopefully I'll know more then and won't be waiting too long appreciate the link will definitely have a look

[helvella Administrator in reply to Feedbackwelcome]

If there is the possibility of a parathyroid issue, it would be good to be tested for calcium, phosphate and parathyroid hormone. And if there is the possibility of a thyroid issue, you definitely need a full set of tests (TSH, FT4, FT3, TGab, TPOab.)

It is better that your GP admitted it wasn't his area than bluffed - by far. But maybe these tests could get under way asap?

[Feedbackwelcome in reply to helvella]

He did all them and all clear tg

[RockyPath]

I know surgery means something different in the UK than in the USA, but anytime a "surgeon" is asked about an issue, they will want to perform surgery. It's how they earn money.

Living without a parathyroid is extremely challenging. One would not want the gland removed for a benign tumor.

Thyroid nodules are common. A fine-needle biopsy of the larger nodules will validate that they are benign. Then they're watched and measured periodically, but apt to stay the same across the years.

A friend had a "surgeon" who thought the results of the biopsy were inconclusive. Rather than perform another biopsy (a painless procedure where you hold very still for about 40 minutes while they use an ultrasound to guide a very very thin needle to take samples), the doctor talked her into having the gland removed. Once it was in the stainless steel tray in the "surgery" they could examine it carefully. They determine that there was nothing malignant going on, and no reason for slicing her throat open to remove a perfectly good gland.

Ouch.

Take care with the medical experts.

[birkie in reply to RockyPath]

I think you mean living without a thyroid is challenging , we all normally have 4 parathyroid glands and can easily live with the removal of one or more, you can live with one parathyroid gland.

Yes it's challenging living without a thyroid, I don't have one and the last 5 and a half years have been hell, I also have primary hyperparathyroidism to....🤦‍♀️

[helvella Administrator in reply to RockyPath]

Most of us start out with four parathyroid glands. And most of us could manage OK on just one of them.

A properly diagnosed parathyroid adenoma, and a good endocrine surgeon, should be able to remove the one parathyroid with the adenoma. (Assuming only one present.) From what I understand, that whole process can be challenging but is possible.

Therefore removal of one parathyroid can be a very effective and permanent cure for an adenoma - with no further medication required for that issue.

[RockyPath in reply to helvella]

Thank you for that corrective. I was only going by bluegreenwordydoc's observation that the absence of parathyroid creates an endocrine hellscape that makes missing the thyroid look like a walk in the park.

I'm further reassured to know that there are surgeons who know what they're doing. Even if they aren't ubiquitous.

I appreciate your knowledge, helvella.

Rocky

[birkie]

hi feedbackfeedbackwelcome🥰

firstly I have no thyroid due to graves thyrotoxic disease in 2018 full thyroidectomy in 2019 then in 2020 my calcium went over range with over range pth got a flimsy diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism by my awful endocrinologist, who for the second time in my life just wants to wait and see [ the wait and see approach]

I was first diagnosed in 2004 with primary hyperparathyroidism and just left because my calcium and parathyroid levels bounce in and out .

First you say your tests were OK no doubt your gp told you this, do you know what the thyroid and parathyroid tests were?

Was your parathyroid test done in an EDTA tube?

Did they do pth, calcium, magnesium, phosphate vitamin D together in one draw?

Have you had the 24hr calcium urine test? This is to see if you are passing calcium through your urine.

I strongly suggest you do a little research into primary hyperparathyroidism and thyroid conditions, helvella as given you some good info, but unfortunately gps and specialists know very little about both conditions 🤷‍♀️

my own scan results were as yours, I couldn't understand them , I had some anomalies but unfortunately so far the scans haven't identified the rouge parathyroid gland, they did however identify a piece of thyroid left over from my thyroidectemy , this was identified by a fine needle biopsy, weird really as my surgeon told me he need to remove all my thyroid tissue due to me having graves thyrotoxic.

Its a minefield looking into thyroid and parathyroid conditions, but I've found it best to be informed about it, because there's a lot of gaslighting around these conditions, I had to go private to get my definitive diagnosis, as my endocrinologists in my area were so bad.