Why not do a biopsy instead of nuclear thyroid scan?

[mckinneyj04]

So I just got back from my doctor, and apparently I have 5 enlarged nodules. One measuring a little over 4 cm and the others smaller ones. My doctor calls it a "multi-nodular goiter". I'm not really sure what that means. Well anyways, after getting the results from my ultrasound she wants me to get a nuclear thyroid scan, or study or something. That is to check for cancer, am I right? But so is a biopsy, right? Why don't I just get a biopsy? I know I should have asked a lot of questions while I was there, but I don't know, I just kind of shut my mind off for a minute. It was a lot of information to take in at the time, and I was just sort of stunned and didn't know what to say.

[898_1]

If your TSH levels are low and T4 level is normal or high the uptake can differentiate between the thyroiditis- inflammation (low uptake 8% or less) Grave’s disease (40% or higher) or toxic nodular goiter (patchy uptake) variable uptake; if nodules are present, technetium is used (but it has different numbers for the uptake) to avoid complications. 4cm nodule is very large (almost size of entire lobe). Could you please post the ultrasound report for more info? (Sometimes the inflamed thyroid lobe can be confused with the nodule!)

[MANmom]

Are the nodules solid, fluid or mixed?  Do they have bloodflow? Depends on what they are.  If they are solid or mixed, they usually do a biopsy.  Sounds like yours are fluid.  The nuclear scan simply tells them whether or not the whole thyroid is taking in iodine and functioning correctly.  If the nodules are hot, that means they are taking up iodine and are probably OK, if they are cold, then they are not taking up iodine and are more of a worry.  Fluid cysts aren't usually cancerous.  Cancer is usually solid or mixed and has bloodflow, sometimes it has irregular borders, but diagnosing thyroid cancer is tough, usually you have to remove the nodules and send them to the lab.  They can only tell so much with an ultrasound, keep an eye on them.