[Imaging procedures in the diagnosis of nodular goiter]

A prospective examination of 80 patients with struma nodosa resulted in an approximately equally high reliability of scintigraphy (98.8%) and sonography (97.5%) with regard to the evidence of focal changes. Due to the well-known advantages and the present availability the sonography should above all be used in children, adolescents, pregnant women and iodine-contaminated patients. Since from the scintigram additionally can be reported on the functional condition (autonomous adenoma), this technique cannot generally be replaced by sonography. The advantages and the limits should be known to the physician, in order to avoid unnecessary manifold examinations.