CT/MRI: Goiter

*What is a goiter?*

A goiter is the name of the condition when the thyroid gland grows larger than normal. The thyroid is located at the base of the neck, just below the Adam's apple. The most common cause of a goiter is an iodine deficiency, but in the United States where we use iodized salt, it is more often due to the over or under production of thyroid hormones. It can also be caused from many other things including pregnancy, Graves Disease, thyroid cancer, and inflammation.

*Symptoms*

Not all goiters will cause symptoms to appear. When symptoms do occur they may include visible swelling at the base of the neck, a tight feeling in the throat, coughing, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing.

*Diagnosis*

A doctor may be able to notice a goiter simply be feeling the area of the thyroid while a person swallows. If he cannot feel it, he may order another test to be done. These can include a hormone test in which blood is drawn and tests are done to see if the hormones produced by the thyroid are high or low, an ultrasound of the thyroid, or a thyroid scan in which a radioactive isotope is injected to better visualize the thyroid.

*Treatment*

Treatment of a goiter depends on its size. If it is not large and it is not causing any difficulties swallowing or breathing, observation may be best to make sure it doesn't grow larger. Medications can also be used to treat things such as hypothyroidism in which the thyroid overproduces a hormone, causing the goiter. Surgery can also be done to remove part or all of the thyroid if it causes difficulty breathing or swallowing. Another option for treatment is radioactive iodine which is taken orally and reaches the thyroid via the bloodstream. It destroys thyroid cells, diminishing the size of the goiter, but it can also cause an underactive thyroid gland.

This is an example of a goiter.