title: Self-examination of thyroid nodules.
abstract: The management of occult small thyroid nodules found by ultrasonography is sometimes problematic. Self-palpation may be utilized in the follow-up of these nodules. We developed a method of thyroid self-examination (TSE). We examined the size of the nodules palpable by this method by ultrasonography. In 78 patients examined, all 38 tumors more than 2 cm in size, whereas only one of 14 tumors less than or equal to 1 cm in size, were palpable. These results suggest the clinical usefulness of TSE in the follow-up of thyroid tumors, which are very common and slow-growing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods; D016353:Self-Examination / Q000379:methods; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography