Self-examination of thyroid nodules.

The management of occult small thyroid nodules found by ultrasonography is sometimes problematic. Self-palpation may be utilized in the follow-up of these nodules. We developed a method of thyroid self-examination (TSE). We examined the size of the nodules palpable by this method by ultrasonography. In 78 patients examined, all 38 tumors more than 2 cm in size, whereas only one of 14 tumors less than or equal to 1 cm in size, were palpable. These results suggest the clinical usefulness of TSE in the follow-up of thyroid tumors, which are very common and slow-growing.