Nuclear medicine: cold thyroid nodule: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Nuclear medicine: cold thyroid nodule

Sample item

A thyroid scan shows a solitary nodule that does not take up the tracer (cold nodule) in a euthyroid patient. What is the best next step?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology

About 5 to 10 percent of cold nodules are malignant, and evaluation is with ultrasound and fine needle aspiration. Hot nodules are almost always benign. Radioiodine or antithyroid drugs are used for hyperfunctioning nodules.

Option by option

  • A. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (correct)

    Correct. A cold nodule needs cytology.

  • B. Observation without any test

    Observation alone is inappropriate for a suspicious nodule.

  • C. Start antithyroid drugs

    The patient is euthyroid, so antithyroid drugs are not needed.

  • D. Immediate radioiodine therapy

    Radioiodine therapy is for hot nodules.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Radiology questions

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology. About 5 to 10 percent of cold nodules are malignant, and evaluation is with ultrasound and fine needle aspiration.

Why is "Observation without any test" not the answer?

Observation alone is inappropriate for a suspicious nodule.

Why is "Start antithyroid drugs" not the answer?

The patient is euthyroid, so antithyroid drugs are not needed.

Why is "Immediate radioiodine therapy" not the answer?

Radioiodine therapy is for hot nodules.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nuclear medicine: cold thyroid nodule in Radiology. Hot nodules are almost always benign. Radioiodine or antithyroid drugs are used for hyperfunctioning nodules.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Nuclear medicine: cold thyroid nodule?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.