Hi...Dr. Lupo
I had my Nuclear Thyroid scan and uptake test on 12/09. I just got my results this week from my dr. He is referring me to an endo for further treatment. Currently I am not on any medicines for hyper. Here are the results and impression: Study perfromed with oral ingestion of 283 microcuries iodine-123 at 9:43 am on 12/09/10 with imaging and uptake at 6 and 24 hrs. Uptake is 18% at 6 hrs, which is within normal range; 24-hour uptake is 25.7%. Imaging, however, shows hot nodule centrally in the right lobe of the thyroid with suppression of the activity in the entire left lobe. There is a hypoechoic area or a photopenic area centrally in the left lobe that could represent a cold nodule. Correlation to the u/s performed 11/18/10 shows a dominant nodule centrally in the right lobe measuring 1.6 x 1.5 cm. This corresponds to the hot nodule seen on the nuclear medicine scan. In the left lobe there is centrally a complex cystic lesion, 1.0 x .98 cm which corresponds to the photopenic area seen on the nuclear scan.
Impression: Nodule on the right is hot, i.e., shows increased uptake and corresponds to the solid nodule centrally in the right lobe on u/s. The left lobe is diffusely suppressed and there is no activity seen centrally corresponding to the complex cystic lesion in the mid left lobe of the thyroid. Hot nodules are typically benign. The cold nodule is felt to represent a complex cystic lesion in the left lobe. Hyperfunctioning right nodule is suppressing the activity in the remainder of the left lobe of the thyroid.
Okay...can you tell me what all this means? I know the tech said that if it's hot they cannot biopsy because it has it's own vascular system. I don't understand what the last sentence means. I understand that cold COULD OR COULD NOT mean malignancy. Also, what are the normal ranges at the time specified for the uptake results? My dr has not sat me down and explained any of this to me. Thanks