Thyroid Research News Roundup: November 2006

In the November 2006 issue of the journal Epidemiology, authors Lyon and others looked at whether children exposed to fallout in the Nevada Test Site area (Utah, Nevada, and Arizona) at 12 to 18 years of age had a higher rate of thyroid problems. The researchers found that those exposed to higher levels of radiation had a greater risk of thyroid tumors and thyroiditis, and the risk was increased even 30 years after exposure.

Find Out More: Reuters coverage | Epidemiology

Using Ultrasound to Differentiate of Benign From Malignant Lymph Nodes in Thyroid Cancer Patients

A team of Croatian researchers studied whether ultrasound evaluation could determine identify cancerous lymph nodes in patients with thyroid cancer. Ultimately, a group of 631 thyroid cancer patients had fine needle aspiration biopsy guided by ultrasound, along with echography. The researchers discovered that particular nodule shapes, visible in ultrasound, were more often associated with cancer, and that cancerous nodules were most often located in the lower third of the neck. They concluded that while ultrasound evaluation cannot distinguish benign from malignant nodules, certain aspects of appearance can suggest malignancy and helps practitioners select nodes for aspiration, which is important in final diagnosis.

Find Out More: Journal of Ultrasound Medicine