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Toxic nodular goiter

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Toxic nodular goiter involves an enlarged thyroid gland that contains a small rounded mass or masses called nodules, which produce too much thyroid hormone.

Alternative Names:

Toxic adenoma; Toxic multinodular goiter; Plummer's disease

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Toxic nodular goiter arises from a long-standing simple goiter and occurs most often in the elderly. Symptoms are those of hyperthyroidism , but the protruding eyeballs seen in Graves' disease do not occur. Risk factors include being female and over 60 years old. This disorder is never seen in children.

• Review Date: 5/12/2006
• Reviewed By: Robert Hurd, MD, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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