Abstract
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 2cm in size, whereas only one of 14 tumors less than or equal to 1cm 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.
