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Toxic multinodular goitre

Last reviewed: 28 Feb 2025
Last updated: 26 Oct 2022

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presence of risk factors
  • goitre
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • heat intolerance, hyperphagia, or weight loss
  • depression
  • nervousness or palpitations
  • oligomenorrhoea
  • hyperdefecation
  • stare or lid lag
  • warm, moist skin
  • tachycardia
  • irregular pulse
  • tremor
  • muscle weakness
  • shortness of breath or choking sensation
  • Pemberton's sign
Full details

Risk factors

  • iodine deficiency
  • age >40 years
  • head and neck irradiation
  • family history of thyroid nodules
  • female sex
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • free T4 (or total T4 with measure of binding)
  • total T3 with a measure of binding (or free T3)
  • I-123 thyroid scan and uptake
  • Tc-99 pertechnetate scan
  • thyroid ultrasound
  • metabolic panel
  • FBC
  • thyroid peroxidase antibodies
  • TSH receptor antibodies
  • ECG
  • CT neck (non-contrast)
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ONGOING

non-pregnant non-lactating adults: without mass effect or suspicion of cancer

mass effect or suspicion of cancer

pregnant or lactating: without mass effect or suspicion of cancer

Contributors

Authors

Elizabeth N. Pearce, MD

Professor of Medicine

Boston University Medical Center

Boston

MA

Disclosures

ENP is a member of the Management Council of the Iodine Global Network. She was the 2018-2019 President of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and served on its board and executive committee until 2020. She is a current member of the ATA's thyroid in pregnancy guidelines writing task force. She is currently a Deputy Editor at the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and has previously served as an Associated Editor for the journals Thyroid, Endocrine Practice, and Clinical Thyroidology. She is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.

Acknowledgements

Dr Elizabeth N. Pearce would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Sheila Feit, a previous contributor to this topic. SF was previously employed by BMJ.

Peer reviewers

Petros Perros, BSc, MBBS, MD, FRCP

Consultant Endocrinologist

Freeman Hospital

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

UK

Disclosures

PP declares that he has no competing interests.

Ronald Merrell, MD, FACS

Professor of Surgery

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

VA

Disclosures

RM declares that he has no competing interests.

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