Radionuclide imaging and echography of thyroid nodules.

The usefulness of grey scale ultrasonography in association with radionuclide imaging in the evaluation of thyroid nodules is discussed. Nodules were classified in five categories, according to the magnitude of the internal echoes (echogenicity). The assessment of neoplasms in each of these categories is reported in 143 cases in which radionuclide imaging disclosed nonfunctioning or cold nodules. In this study, echography is used principally to clarify the nature of nonfunctioning or cold nodules found on radionuclide imaging.