What is thyroid goiter?

Thyroid goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland. It can become larger because your thyroid is trying to make more thyroid hormone. Also, in hyperthyroidism the cells grow faster, which causes the thyroid to grow and make more thyroid hormone than the body needs.

How thyroid nodule is evaluated?

Most thyroid nodules are not cancerous. There are different ways to evaluate thyroid nodules to determine whether or not they are cancerous (i.e. history, risk factors, Doppler ultrasound and CT scan), but the most accurate and minimally invasive way is to obtain a biopsy of the nodule by fine needle aspiration (FNA). If the pathology is non-determinant with significant patient risk factors, or suspicious/diagnostic for cancer, then surgical removal of either one or both thyroid lobes is recommended.