Other treatment for thyroid nodules includes fine-needle aspiration and radioactive iodine.

During a fine-needle aspiration, an endocrinologist uses a small needle to drain a fluid-filled (cystic) nodule. Some cysts do not return after they are drained. But most cysts do come back. If your nodule comes back after being drained once or twice, surgery to remove it is usually recommended.

Radioactive iodine is sometimes used to treat hyperthyroidism in people who have noncancerous thyroid nodules.

Other Treatment Choices

Fine-needle aspiration to drain cystic nodules

Radioactive iodine therapy

What To Think About

Surgical removal is recommended for cystic nodules that come back, especially those larger than 1.6 in. in diameter.

Hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone) occurs in about 10 out of 100 people within 5 years after being treated with radioactive iodine for thyroid nodules.¹ For this reason, your doctor will check your thyroid hormone levels regularly after you have this treatment.

If a thyroid nodule is not cancerous but is making too much thyroid hormone, causing hyperthyroidism, antithyroid medicines may be used before radioactive iodine treatment. For more information on treating hyperthyroidism, see the topic Hyperthyroidism.