Hyperthyroid test?

[SENSEZFAIL]

Whats the best way to go about getting one done? I'm almost positive that this is my issue & I want to go the radioactive iodine route if so..

Would just a physical be able to identify the issue & then be referred to an endocrinologist or could I go directly to an endo?

Thanks

 

[RADIOACTIVE]

A nuclear medicine exam called "I-123 uptake and scan" would be the best route to see exactly how the thyroid is FUNCTIONING and also to see if there are any tissues which dont take up iodine within the thyroid which could be indicative of a tumor or nodules. Nodules can be *hot* or *cold*. Hot nodules are areas in the thyroid which are dominant and insist on synthesizing more iodine vs cold nodules which dont *absorb* iodinr and are not thyroid tissue ie cancer.

 

[StuartGould]

Whats the best way to go about getting one done? I'm almost positive that this is my issue & I want to go the radioactive iodine route if so..

Would just a physical be able to identify the issue & then be referred to an endocrinologist or could I go directly to an endo?


Would be interesting to hear the symptoms.

There are some classical signs: goitre, eye changes, high hr, tremor, hyper reflexia etc. But most cases are usually mild and these signs may be absent.

In the uk first thing woul be a simple blood tsh level. Autonomous thyroid production or taking too much produces a very low tsh level by negative feedback. VERY rarely it is a pituitary problem and the tsh high.

Thyroid imaging is reserved for abnormal tsh or a clinically enlarged thyroid and would be an ultrasound in the first instance