Thyroid nodule grading, these three categories are the most common

Clinically, the understanding of thyroid nodules can actually start from its classification types. So, what are the common types of thyroid nodules?

1. Cystic nodules

Most of them are caused by degeneration and old bleeding of nodular thyroid glands and adenomas. Some thyroid cancers also develop cystic changes, as well as parathyroid cysts. They can be divided into true cysts and pseudocysts. True cysts are clinically rare, and pseudocysts account for 95%, most commonly in nodular thyroid glands. The cause of nodular hyperplasia, necrosis, and liquefaction is currently believed to be insufficient blood supply leading to cell necrosis.

2. Inflammatory nodules

It is divided into infectious and non-infectious. Acute purulent nodules are extremely rare. Subacute thyroiditis is the most common and is related to viral infection. Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis can also appear in the form of thyroid nodules. Very few cases are caused by thyroid tuberculosis or syphilis.

3. Hyperplastic thyroid gland

Diffuse and nodular thyroid hyperplasia have a high incidence rate. There are many factors that can cause thyroid hyperplasia, such as excessive or insufficient iodine, eating foods that cause thyroid hyperplasia, taking thyroid hyperplasia drugs, and thyroid synthase deficiency, which lead to the proliferation of thyroid follicular epithelial cells. Due to the inconsistency between the newly generated follicles and the original follicles, the anatomy and function of each nodule are ultimately inconsistent.