Medical Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules: Have We Defined a Benefit?
Authors: E. Chester Ridgway
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1998)

Editorials1 March 1998Medical Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules: Have We Defined a Benefit?E. Chester Ridgway, MDE. Chester Ridgway, MDUniversity of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80262Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-128-5-199803010-00010 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Thyroid nodules, detected by physical examination, are present in 4% to 7% of the U.S. population [1, 2]. This figure represents only the tip of the iceberg because ultrasonography done in patients without clinically apparent thyroid disease and autopsy studies show that thyroid nodules are present in 30% to 50% of adult thyroid glands [3]. The chance that a nodule detected by physical examination is malignant is less than 10%; most studies show a prevalence of approximately 4% [4, 5]. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules has emerged as the most important diagnostic study to perform to distinguish malignant from ...References1. Mazzaferri EL. Management of a solitary thyroid nodule. N Engl J Med. 1993; 328:553-9. Google Scholar2. Gharib H. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid nodules: advantages, limitations, and effect. Mayo Clin Proc. 1994; 69:44-9. Google Scholar3. Ezzat S, Sarti DA, Cain DR, Braunstein GD. Thyroid incidentalomas. Prevalence by palpation and ultrasonography. Arch Intern Med. 1994; 154:1838-40. Google Scholar4. Burch HB. Evaluation and management of the solid thyroid nodule. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1995; 24:663-710. Google Scholar5. Caruso D, Mazzaferri EL. Fine needle aspiration biopsy in the management of thyroid nodules. Endocrinologist. 1991; 1:194-202. Google Scholar6. Kuma K, Matsuzuka F, Yokozawa T, Miyauchi A, Sugawara M. Fate of untreated benign thyroid nodules: results of long-term follow-up. 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Thyroxine suppressive therapy in patients with nodular thyroid disease. Ann Intern Med. 1998; 128:386-94. Google Scholar12. Gharib H, James EM, Charbonneau JW, Naessens JM, Offord KP, Gorman CA. Suppressive therapy with levothyroxine for solitary thyroid nodules. A double-blind controlled clinical study. N Engl J Med. 1987; 317:70-5. Google Scholar13. Diacinti D, Salabe GB, Olivieri A, D'Erasmo E, Tomei E, Lotz-Salabe H, et al. [Efficacy of L-thyroxine (L-T4) therapy on the volume of the thyroid gland and nodules in patients with euthyroid nodular goiter]. Minerva Med. 1992; 83:745-51. Google Scholar14. Reverter JL, Lucas A, Salinas I, Audi L, Foz M, Sanmarti A. Suppressive therapy with levothyroxine for solitary thyroid nodules. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1992; 36:25-8. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Denver, CO 80262Corresponding Author: E. Chester Ridgway, MD, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO 80262. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThyroxine Suppressive Therapy in Patients with Nodular Thyroid Disease Hossein Gharib and Ernest L. Mazzaferri Metrics Cited ByThe Thyroid Nodule: Evaluation, Risk of Malignancy, and ManagementThyroid Nodules in Children and Cancer RiskThyroid Nodules and GoiterHormonothérapie thyroïdienne freinatrice. Principes et modalités pratiquesThe Thyroid NoduleMolecular Pathogenesis of Euthyroid and Toxic Multinodular GoiterThyroid Disease and Reproductive HealthEvidence and Thoughts About Thyroid Nodules That Grow After They Have Been Identified as Benign by Aspiration CytologyThe Thyroid NoduleThe Thyroid NoduleEnfermedad nodular tiroidea. Diagnóstico y tratamientoAssessing the Effects of Thyroid Suppression on Benign Solitary Thyroid Nodules: A Model for Using Quantitative Research SynthesisThe Effect of Thyroid Hormone on Skeletal IntegritySusan L. Greenspan, MD and Francis S. Greenspan, MD 1 March 1998Volume 128, Issue 5Page: 403-405KeywordsBiopsyHormonal therapyPatientsProspective studiesSurgeryThyroidThyroid hormonesThyroid-stimulating hormoneThyroxineUltrasound imaging Issue Published: 1 March 1998 CopyrightCopyright © 1998 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...