A study of the natural history of "hot" thyroid nodules.

In the evaluation of thyroid nodules the three major clinical concerns are malignancy, hyperfunction, and cosmetic effect. It is now well accepted that the isolated "cold" nodule is the clinical setting in which thyroid cancer most often occurs (1-2). The clinical problem most often inferred from the presence of a "hot" nodule is hyperfunction. However, the clinical course, and natural history of this lesion are not as clearly defined as for many other thyroid conditions. We have evaluated our past experience with this disease in an attempt to define the implications of the discovery, in a patient, of a "hot" nodule. Data are presented in a manner distinct from the usual consideration of whether a "hot" nodule is suppressible or not.