Prof. Dr. Aykut Recep Aktas
+90 552 310 57 11
THYROID HEALTH AND TREATMENT
Thyroid nodules are common in our society and especially benign nodules.
DISEASES AND SYMPTOMS DUE TO THYROID
Thyroid nodules are common and especially benign nodules in our society, and they can sometimes cause hormonal imbalances and sometimes cancer, depending on the increase in activity.
excessive secretion of thyroid hormones hyperthyroidism symptoms in case of:
Palpitation
Hypertension
Sweating
Irritability
Unrest
warm and moist skin
intolerance to heat
Weight loss (Slimming despite good appetite)
shaking hands
Hair thinning, breakage and shedding
thinning of the skin
persistent diarrhea
Eye signs (enlarged eyes)
Sensitivity to bright light
Insomnia
Menstrual irregularity, amenorrhea
Goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland)
underactive thyroid hormones hypothyroidism symptoms include:
Weakness, fatigue, slowness of movement
Depression and unhappiness
Intolerance to cold environments
Edema in hands and feet
Decreased sweating
hoarseness
Constipation
Abnormal weight gain, increased appetite
Forgetfulness, decreased concentration
Delayed puberty in boys
Decreased or absent menstrual period and frequency in women
In addition, in cases where the thyroid gland enlarges in patients, swelling in the neck may be noticed.
Benign Thyroid Diseases
In goiter disease, which occurs with the enlargement of the thyroid gland, one or more lumps may form in the thyroid. This is the name given in the medical language; It is "Nodular Goiter".
In the second group of benign diseases, there are dysfunctions due to more or less secretion of the hormone. The condition in which the thyroid hormone is secreted excessively is called toxic goiter or hyperthyroidism. The state of low secretion is called hypothyroidism.
In some cases, both the enlargement of the goiter and the functional, that is, hormonal disorder, can be seen together. Another group of benign diseases is Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is caused by inflammation of the thyroid.
Malignant Thyroid Diseases
Malignant thyroid diseases are divided into two main groups as thyroid cancer and "papillary" and "follicular" thyroid cancers.
THYROID BIOPSY AND NON-SURGERY TREATMENT OPTIONS
DON'T FEAR BIOPSY!
In cases where thyroid nodules are detected, first of all, fine needle biopsy is performed. Most of our patients share that they are afraid of the biopsy procedure during the first examination and therefore avoid having it done. The first words of our same patients after the procedure are that it is not a procedure to be afraid of at all, but just a small pinch. A biopsy is essential to determine whether the nodules are benign or malignant, if your doctor has recommended a biopsy, please do the biopsy without delay.
How is the biopsy procedure done?
The process we call fine needle biopsy is the process of spreading the cells drawn from the procedure area with a thin biopsy needle and ultrasound and sending them to the pathology laboratory. Pathology tells whether cells are benign or malignant when viewed under a microscope. Although the risk of cancer is low, it is useful to perform regular ultrasound-guided examination and biopsy of the thyroid nodules once a year. Fine-needle biopsy should be performed by Interventional Radiology, especially for nodules with microcalcifications and irregular borders, which are found to have malignant criteria on ultrasonography.
Although it is proven to be pathologically benign, after a while, the size of the nodule gradually grows and may constitute indications for surgery; complaints of difficulty in swallowing may occur due to pressure on the vocal cords and neck; For this, again, as Interventional Radiology, by entering the thyroid nodules with a thin needle under ultrasound guidance, laser, microwave or radiofrequency ablations are used to remove the thyroid nodules without the need for surgery. downsizing is possible.
In addition, in very large nodules and when we think that there is too much blood, when we block the vessels feeding the thyroid by entering with angiography from the inguinal region, we can shrink these enlarged nodules in time as Interventional Radiology and we can perform non-surgical treatment of thyroid nodules.