Thyroid uptake

[kim122860]

I had the radioactive iodine to destroy my thyroid 4 yrs ago. I am now getting swelling, pain, thyroiditis so they did an ultrasound last week and immediately called me yesterday to have a thyroid uptake this am. They could not find my thyroid gland or any radioactive activity in my neck. The uptake didn't work. They destroyed my thyroid gland due to a multinodular toxic goiter that has caused alot of problems with my health since I was 21. The nodules are still there and they found one bigger than 1 cm on the ultrasound. My question is should this be what they are doing or should they do a biopsy and why didn't the uptake work?

[kim122860]

Thanks for answering my question. My physician called me that night and said my thyroid looks so unusual and there are 2 nodules 1 over 1 cm on right side and 1 that is 2 cm on left side. Could these be cancer or can nodules get this large from thyroiditis? How do they do markers of inflamation. I have also been told I have sarcoidosis could this be granulomas from that? Thanks, Kimberly

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Would consider FNA biopsy to confirm thyroiditis and to exclude malignancy.
Certainly need to test thyroid function, probably already done.  Markers of inflammation can also help establish the diagnosis of thyroiditis.  Thyroiditis does cause little to no iodine uptake....