I wonder if my thyroid nodules are from cat scans and should I take it out now?

anniec

I had renal cell clear cell cancer 3 years ago. Now I need a complete thyroidectomy. The nodules are so large and growing into my throat. Drs. Did fine needle biopsy, and it doesn't show cancer, but they can't guarantee it doesn't! I wonder if the cat scans I have had for the kidney, gave me this large goiter. Do I wait and see or do I take it out. Drs. At Sloan Kettering say I could wait 6 months and see if Huey continue to grow, but my pc dr. Wants it out. She has seen them positive when the needle biopsy said it wasnt . Any advice. Anne

Baldy

Advise
Anne,

Your thyroid is a pretty large gland. A fine needle biopsy will only show what's going on in the diameter of the needle, so there's thyroid that isn't being biopsied. I'm guessing this is why they're saying this type of biopsy sometimes says everything is OK when it really isn't. At least this is what my surgeon told me when he advised not to have a fine needle on a lymph node and surgically biopsy it instead.

Ask your doctor to explain why she's saying what she's saying. That way you'll be sure and you won't be relying on some guy posting on the internet

I don't know about the cat scan, I've seen some articles saying that low-level radiation can cause thyroid problems. But I don't know if a cat scan of your kidneys would have an effect. Again, ask you doctor. One of the reasons you have a doctor is to answer your questions.

Alan

PS Before you talk to your doctor, write down every question you can think of. Don't be afraid of looking stupid, you NEED to know what's going on. If you get flustered when your at the doctors office {I know I do, before I started writing things down I was constantly forgetting to ask about something I wanted answered,} take somebody with you who can make sure you get all the answers you want. If you talk to the doctor on the phone, then have someone sitting there beside you to make sure you ask every question.