Has Anyone Here Had a Thyroid Scan?

[Chattyaholic]

My doctor found a lump on my thyroid. Last week I had a thyroid ultrasound and it's not a cyst, but instead is a hard nodule so now I go next week for a thyroid scan. I'm not really worried, as I read that 90% of nodules on the thyroid are not cancerous, and even the few that are are highly treatable. But I'd just like to know what the procedue is for the scan, if someone here has had one done themselves.

 

[klombar]

I had one about 18 yrs ago. I think the scans today are totally different. I did a full body scan where iodine is used. Mine turned out to be cancer but you are right Thyroid cancer is very treatable. I had my removed and have been on synthoid ever since. You will find alot of people on the DIS with good info on this subject.

 

[lisajl]

I have never had a thyroid scan, but do have hypothyroidism.
Somewhere there is a whole thread on it. You may want to do a search.

Good luck with the scan, let us know what happens, please.
You never know when someone else might be able to use the info.

Lisajl

 

[mrsv98]

I had a tumor on each thyroid about 15 years ago. I had scans on both sides, and it is no big deal. If it is the same kind I had, you take a pill that contains a small amount of radioactive iodine. The thyroid is the only organ in the body that absorbs iodine. Six hours later, you go back for a series of scans. Mostly, it is a lot of lying still for long periods of time. After one particularly long scan, I had dozed off, when the tech came back, she scared the snot out of me! Since this was a fairly long time ago, things may have changed, but it isn't invasive so there isn't much to worry about. I did not have cancer, the tumors were giving me huge doses of thyroid hormone and making me nuts. I had a large dose of radioactive iodine which destroyed the tumors. It takes awhile for everything to level out, but once your thyroid levels are normal, you will feel much better. Also, just as a side note, thyroid disease has a strong genetic componenet, my dad, sister and uncle all had some sort of tumor. Dad and Sister had surgery, Uncle and I had chemo. Good luck and don't worry, in terms of medical problems, this one isn't too bad. Let me know if you need anymore info.

 

[Lanshark]

I had one done 2 weeks ago for pretty much the same thing and everything turned out fine.

Prior to the scan for 5 days I was on a low iodine diet. No dairy, seafood, whitebread or added salt. I went in the day of the scan at 9:00 and swallowed a pill and was told to return in 6 hours for the scan. Six hours later I returned and was put on a table and pushed under the scanner, They pointed the thing on the right side of my neck and let it scan for 7 minutes. They then moved it to the middle for another 7 minutes and then to the left for an additional 7. That was it. Quick and painless. There was a possibility that I would have to come back the next day if my body had not absorbed enough of the radioactive iodine so they would not schedule on a Fri. I had absorbed enough so I did not have to return. I had the results the next day.

Hope that helps

 

[Chattyaholic]

Thanks for your responses, everyone, I really appreciate it.
When the nurse from the doctor's office called me with the details she said I had to go in at 10 a.m. to "drink something" but hopefully she's wrong and it will just be a pill to swallow like the rest of you had.

Lanshark: You said you had one done a couple weeks ago for pretty much the same thing, a lump/nodule on your thyroid? If it's not cancerous do they just leave the nodule there? I'm just thinking ahead I guess, and wondering if they will still want to remove it anyway. It's not bothering me at all, and it's not even noticeable. The worst part, I think, will be the $$. Our insurance probably won't cover much of it.