Description An enlargement of t...
Description
An enlargement of the thyroid gland. This gland is located in the neck and produces a lump in the middle of the neck near the "Adam's apple". This disorder occurs much more frequently in women than in men. The most common causes of a goiter are: iodine deficiency (especially in the developing world), autoimmune diseases (such as Graves' Disease or Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and multiple thyroid nodules (multinodular goiter). If thyroid hormone levels in the blood are normal, people with a goiter will usually have no symptoms . However, if the thyroid becomes too large it can push on the wind pipe and cause breathing problems.
Symptoms
Swelling in neck, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, cough.
Tests
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Other tests may include: thyroid blood tests, thyroid ultrasound, a thyroid scan and/or a CT scan.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Ultrasound
Other Specific Tests: Ultrasound of thyroid, thyroid blood tests, thyroid scan
Specialists:
General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Other tests may include: thyroid blood tests, thyroid ultrasound, a thyroid scan and/or a CT scan.
Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Ultrasound
Other Specific Tests: Ultrasound of thyroid, thyroid blood tests, thyroid scan
Specialists:
General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Treatment
Treatment is determined by the cause of the goiter and ranges from thyroid hormone replacement, dietary changes, anti-thyroid medications, surgical removal, and/or ablation with radioactive treatment.