A cold nodule is a

thyroid nodule Thyroid nodules are nodules (raised areas of tissue or fluid) which commonly arise within an otherwise normal thyroid gland. They may be hyperplastic or tumorous, but only a small percentage of thyroid tumors are malignant. Small, asymptomatic n ...

that does not produce

thyroid hormone File:Thyroid_system.svg, upright=1.5, The thyroid system of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 rect 376 268 820 433 Thyroid-stimulating hormone rect 411 200 849 266 Thyrotropin-releasing hormone rect 297 168 502 200 Hypothalamus rect 66 216 386 25 ...

. On a

radioactive iodine uptake test The radioactive iodine uptake test is a type of scan used in the diagnosis of thyroid problems, particularly hyperthyroidism. It is entirely different from radioactive iodine therapy (RAI therapy), which uses much higher doses to destroy cancerou ...

a cold nodule takes up less radioactive material than the surrounding thyroid tissue. A cold nodule may be malignant or benign. On

scintigraphy Scintigraphy (from Latin ''scintilla'', "spark"), also known as a gamma scan, is a diagnostic test in nuclear medicine, where radioisotopes attached to drugs that travel to a specific organ or tissue (radiopharmaceuticals) are taken internally and ...

cold nodules do not show but are easily shown on

ultrasound Ultrasound is sound waves with frequency, frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing range, hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hea ...

. Figure 1 illustrates the basic anatomy of the

thyroid gland The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans it is in the neck and consists of two connected lobe (anatomy), lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes are connected by a thin band of Connective tissue, tissue cal ...

. The case shown in Figure 4 shows a cold nodule quite emphasized representation of the thyroid. The investigation was carried out due to a goiter rating of 3. Striking was the discrepancy between the magnification sonographically depicted the thyroid lobe and the findings in the scintigraphy; the lower part of the right lobe and the lateral part of the left missing in the

bone scan A bone scan or bone scintigraphy is a nuclear medicine imaging technique of the bone. It can help diagnose a number of bone conditions, including cancer of the bone or metastasis, location of bone inflammation and fractures (that may not be visi ...

, although demonstrably thyroid tissue is present there sonographically. This imperfective representation for thyroid tissue is the characteristic of "cold node". "Cold nodule" in older women usually benign and 15-20% Malignant. And in Men or child cancer until proven otherwise. Illu08 thyroid.jpg, Fig. 1
Anatomy of the thyroid SD-Sono002.jpg, Fig. 2
Ultrasonic: Cross section of the right lobe SD-Sono001-Nummern.jpg, Fig. 3
Ultrasonic: Cross section of the thyroid Kalte-Knoten-Animation.gif, Fig. 4
Cold nodules

References

{{Reflist Thyroid 2d nuclear medical imaging

See also

References