Thyroid surgery

scan came back with the following:There is an area of intense activity about the anterior and inferior
aspect of the neck consistent with residual tumor.(no question about this part)
"Increased activity is
again demonstrated about the anterior upper neck which could be due to
activity in submandibular glands which is greater on the right than on
the left.Some faint activity is demonstrated in the region of the bladder."

The dr. said that that was nothing... but that I am to have a surgery that uses a "geiger counter" to seek out the residual & "maybe" anything else & take it out...Can you tell me anything about this type of surgery... & "why" shouldn't I be worried about the submandibular glands?


This discussion is related to Extremely High TSH leve EXTREMELY.

[nissah46]

Is it surgery or Radioactive iodine treatment?

[utahmomma]

Radiation from an I-131 scan often shows up in the salivary glands, liver, bladder, and intestines as it is expelled from your body.

I've never heard of having another surgery to find residual cancers - if it will absorb iodine, why don't they just give you a high dose of I-131 instead???

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08

[mainork]

It IS surgery...so my surgeon says... he says he'll give me a dose of radiation & then take out the isthmus & everything that beeps (using a type of radiation geiger counter)

[mainork]

I see in your post at the bottom that you have had recurrent cancer in 06 &possibly in 08...how did youfind out...tests,etc. & then what did your dr. reccomend?  This is the FIRST time I've heard of such stuff.......needless to say he said it was a very easy surgery... if it is so easy how come me & nobody else have heard of it... I can't fing anything about it on the internet either.  ***@****

[nissah46]

When I had my radioactive iodine I stayed in the hospital for 2 days. They used a "geiger counter" to test the levels of radiation in me, before letting me leave.I have never heard it used the way they are doing to you. Good luck