Thyroid Node

Today, often people of different age groups are diagnosed with endocrine pathologies. Among them, it should be noted the thyroid gland diseases, manifested by various clinical signs, which depends on the type of pathology and the level of synthesis of thyroid hormones.

Before talking about changes in tissue density of this gland, you should briefly tell what the thyroid gland is.

It is an organ of internal secretion that takes part in the metabolism and growth processes of both individual cells and the whole organism, and also preserves iodine and produces specific hormones - thyroxine and triiodothyronine, affecting the development of the bone system, mental abilities and the functioning of the thermoregulatory system.

Where is the thyroid?

It is located in front of the neck in front of the trachea. Above it is the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. I must say that the location of the thyroid gland can change with age. So, in children it is at the level of the lower edge of the throat thyroid cartilage, and in the elderly it can descend, descending in some cases into the thoracic cavity.

Among the most common pathologies of the thyroid gland, one can call hypo-and hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, follicular adenoma, nodes in its structure.

Causes of development of nodes in the thyroid gland

Let us dwell on the pathological conditions under which the thyroid nodule is formed. Most often, the cause of the development of compaction zones is the lack of iodine in the body. It should also be noted that thyroid nodules are often diagnosed in people with a history of family history. So, if relatives had previously found a thyroid nodule, this increases the risk of developing this pathology in other family members several times.

If the nodes are of a tumor nature, then most often in the etiology of their development, a certain role is played by ionizing radiation and X-ray therapy in the neck region in the treatment of the thymus or tonsils.

It must be remembered that the thyroid nodule is not a separate disease, but a symptom that can arise in many thyroid diseases. If the lesion of this gland is benign, then colloid nodes, follicular adenoma, cyst or various inflammatory pathologies are most often found. With its malignant damage, lymphomas, squamous, anaplastic or papillary cancers develop, which is also manifested by the formation of nodular structures in the gland tissue.

Clinical manifestations of thyroid nodules

According to the mechanism of appearance, these structures have a tumor and non-tumoral nature. With tumor nodes, mutations arise in the cells of the gland, which acquire the ability to divide uncontrollably, which causes the formation of seals. Benign nodes increase in size without infiltration. They provoke atrophy of tissues and compression of tissues and organs that are placed side by side.

I must say that this pathology is extremely common among the population, but manifests itself in different ways. If the thyroid nodule is benign in nature, then it may not manifest clinically, being detected accidentally during ultrasound examination. If the size of the nodes is large, they can compress adjacent organs and provoke a violation of swallowing, breathing, changing the voice, the appearance of a feeling of "coma in the throat", as well as cosmetic deformation of the neck.

At nodes of a malignant nature, the secretory function of the thyroid gland is disrupted (in most cases in the form of thyrotoxicosis). A serious complication of such damage is the process of metastasis in the bone, respiratory organs and brain, which significantly worsens the prognosis of the disease.

That is why, if any seal is found in the thyroid gland, a thorough examination should be performed, which should include a fine needle biopsy that confirms or excludes the cancerous nature of the nodes.