{"id":1327,"date":"2026-06-26T08:42:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diaendo.com\/?page_id=1327"},"modified":"2026-06-26T08:42:32","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:42:32","slug":"thyroid-nodules","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/diaendo.com\/index.php\/thyroid-nodules\/","title":{"rendered":"Thyroid Nodules"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_tnhdr{background-color: #149d79 !important;padding-top: 48px !important;padding-bottom: 48px !important;}\u201d][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dThyroid Nodules\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h1|font_size:42|color:%23ffffff|line_height:1.1\u2033 use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dWhat thyroid nodules are, how they are evaluated, and what your options are \u2014 explained by a thyroid specialist.\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:p|font_size:19|color:%23eafaf4|line_height:1.5\u2033 use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-toc\"><span class=\"de-toc-label\">On this page<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"de-toc-inner\"><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-what\">What Is a Thyroid Nodule?<\/a><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-types\">Types of Nodules<\/a><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-cancer\">Cancer Risk<\/a><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-symptoms\">Symptoms<\/a><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-evaluation\">How We Evaluate<\/a><a class=\"de-toc-pill\" href=\"#sec-treatment\">Treatment Options<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"de-intro\">Thyroid nodules are extremely common \u2014 by age 60, roughly half of all adults have at least one. The great majority are benign and never cause harm. The purpose of an evaluation is simple: to confirm a nodule is not cancerous, and to determine whether it needs treatment at all.<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-what\" class=\"de-section\">What Is a Thyroid Nodule?<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p>A thyroid nodule is a lump within the thyroid gland, the butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck. Nodules form when thyroid cells grow in a small cluster. They may be discovered when a patient or physician feels a lump, or incidentally on imaging done for another reason. Most are found to be harmless, but each deserves a careful, systematic evaluation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-types\" class=\"de-section\">Types of Nodules: Cystic, Solid & Mixed<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p><strong>Cystic nodules<\/strong> are filled partly or entirely with fluid. Purely cystic nodules are almost always benign, though large ones can cause pressure symptoms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Solid nodules<\/strong> are made up of thyroid tissue. Most solid nodules are still benign, but they carry a somewhat higher likelihood of needing a biopsy to be certain.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mixed (complex) nodules<\/strong> contain both solid and fluid components and are evaluated according to the characteristics of their solid portion.<\/p>\n<p>Ultrasound allows us to see these features directly and to assign a risk category that guides whether a biopsy is recommended.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-cancer\" class=\"de-section\">Cancer Risk<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p>This is the question most patients worry about, so we address it directly: the large majority of thyroid nodules \u2014 roughly 90\u201395% \u2014 are benign. When thyroid cancer is found, it is most often a well-differentiated type that is highly treatable and carries an excellent prognosis. Certain ultrasound features (such as microcalcifications, irregular margins, or a taller-than-wide shape) raise the suspicion for cancer and prompt a fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The goal of evaluation is to identify the small number of nodules that need attention without subjecting the rest to unnecessary procedures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-symptoms\" class=\"de-section\">Symptoms<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p>Most nodules cause no symptoms at all. When they do, it is usually because of their size or their effect on thyroid hormone levels. Possible symptoms include a visible lump in the neck, a sensation of pressure or fullness, difficulty swallowing, a hoarse voice, or \u2014 if a nodule overproduces thyroid hormone \u2014 symptoms of an overactive thyroid such as palpitations, weight loss, or anxiety. Larger nodules that press on nearby structures are one of the situations where treatment may be warranted even when the nodule is benign.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-evaluation\" class=\"de-section\">How We Evaluate a Nodule<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p>Dr. Schneider holds the Endocrine Certification in Neck Ultrasound (ECNU) and performs high-resolution thyroid ultrasound in the office. A typical evaluation includes a clinical history and examination, thyroid blood tests, diagnostic neck ultrasound to characterize the nodule and any lymph nodes, and \u2014 when indicated \u2014 an ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy performed on site. Having this expertise under one roof means most patients get clear answers quickly, without being sent elsewhere for each step.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<br \/>\n[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p id=\"sec-treatment\" class=\"de-section\">Treatment Options<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-a\">\n<p>Many benign nodules simply need periodic monitoring. When a nodule does require treatment \u2014 because it is growing, causing symptoms, or overproducing hormone \u2014 patients today have options well beyond traditional surgery. We are among the few practices in San Diego to offer minimally invasive, in-office alternatives such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and ethanol ablation, which can shrink or eliminate a nodule without surgery, scars, or general anesthesia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div class=\"de-callout\">\n<p><strong>Non-surgical thyroid nodule treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Learn more about radiofrequency ablation and ethanol ablation for benign thyroid nodules. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandiendo.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:#149d79;font-weight:600;\">Explore non-surgical treatment \u2192<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 Or call (858) 622-7200 to schedule an evaluation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_tnhdr{background-color: #149d79 !important;padding-top: 48px !important;padding-bottom: 48px !important;}\u201d][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dThyroid Nodules\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h1|font_size:42|color:%23ffffff|line_height:1.1\u2033 use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dWhat thyroid nodules are, how they are evaluated, and what your options are \u2014 explained by a thyroid specialist.\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:p|font_size:19|color:%23eafaf4|line_height:1.5\u2033 use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][\/vc_column][\/vc_row] [vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text] On this page What Is a Thyroid Nodule?Types of NodulesCancer RiskSymptomsHow We EvaluateTreatment Options [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row] [vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d][vc_column][vc_column_text] Thyroid nodules&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1327","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","description-off"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Thyroid Nodules | Evaluation &amp; Treatment \u2014 San Diego<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/diaendo.com\/index.php\/thyroid-nodules\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Thyroid Nodules | Evaluation &amp; Treatment \u2014 San Diego\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row 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