Thyroid Lesion Vs. Nodule

When comparing a thyroid lesion vs. nodule, the two terms are used interchangeably, as a nodule is essentially a lesion--an abnormal growth affecting the thyroid.

Lesion

• A lesion is an abnormal structural change in a body part brought on by disease or trauma. It is a very general term that may include everything from pimples on the skin to internal cancerous mutation.

Nodule

• A thyroid nodule is a growth of thyroid cells that gravitate into a lump within one of the lobes of the gland. They are either solid or filled with fluid (cystic).

Significance

• Less than 5 percent of thyroid nodules are life-threatening. "Don’t be overly upset that you have a thyroid nodule," says Dr. R. Anders Rosendahl of The Thyroid Surgery Center of Texas. " Yes, it is something that has to be evaluated, but the overwhelming majority of these things are not cancer and of little consequence."

Treatment

• Laboratory evaluation, including a thyroid-stimulating hormone test, is used to confirm the presence of cancerous cells. "Surgery is the primary treatment for malignant lesions, and the extent of surgery depends on the extent and type of disease," according to Dr. Mary Jo Welker of the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Treatment

• A thyroid nodule will only be extracted if it is determined to contain cancer. Some physicians choose to remove only the cancerous portion of the thyroid while others prefer a total thyroidectomy, a complete removal of the gland.