Thyroid

Disease of the thyroid gland is common in adults and the prevalence of thyroid nodules in Asian Chinese is about 46% and it increases significantly with increasing age.1 It is therefore not surprising to find a nodule or two during body checkup or investigation for other conditions. Management of thyroid nodules generally requires “triple” assessment including a detail history and physical examination, thyroid function test, and thyroid ultrasound scan. Thyroid surgery indications are broad and should be individualized for each patient. As there are various treatment options for surgically indicated thyroid lesions, surgical consultation is an essential part of the management of thyroid nodules.

  1. Guo H, Sun M, He W, Chen H, Li W, Tang J, et al. The prevalence of thyroid nodules and its relationship with metabolic parameters in a Chinese community-based population aged over 40 years. Endocrine 2014;45(2):230-5.