Thyroid FAQ

With 20 years of experience, Dr. Scumpia provides diagnosis, treatment and management of all types of thyroid-related disorders with convenient onsite testing.

Thyroid and Pregnancy

• Normal thyroid levels are different for both conception and throughout pregnancy.
• Pregnancy complications are higher in women who are not properly treated during pregnancy.
• The IQ of the baby seems to be related to how well the mother is controlled during pregnancy. The fetus does not have a thyroid until week 18 of gestation, though thyroid receptors are present from conception. The fetus completely relies on the mother.
• If you have any thyroid condition, it is important to consult your endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid treatment.

Thyroid Imaging

• Thyroid ultrasound images the thyroid gland without any radiation. There is no preparation needed for a thyroid ultrasound. Our clinic offers onsite thyroid ultrasounds and immediate interpretation by Dr. Scumpia.
• Thyroid uptakes use a small dose of radioactive iodine (radiation less than a chest x-ray) and is used to differentiate Graves’ Disease from thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid caused by pregnancy or a viral infection). Our clinic offers onsite uptakes and immediate interpretation, diagnoses and treatment by Dr. Scumpia.
• Thyroid scans determine whether a nodule is “cold” (more prone to cancer) or “hot” (less prone to cancer).
• CT scans and MRIs are not used for detection of thyroid disease, with the rare exception of advanced cancer.

Iodine and Thyroid

• Iodine is part of the thyroid hormone: three or four molecules of iodine form the T3 (triodothyroxine) and T4 (thyroxine) hormones.
• The United States has the second-highest incidence of iodine intake after Japan.
• Iodine deficiency intake in the United States is rare and is most commonly found in people who have unusual diets. By federal law, both dairy and gluten products must have a certain iodine content.
• Iodine intake in the form of kelp or seaweed can be dangerous if taken without physician supervision because the thyroid gland has unique mechanisms by which it processes iodine.
• Excessive iodine intake may lead to hypothyroidism (low thyroid and goiter) followed by an escape mechanism where the thyroid may hyper-function and produce dangerous hyperthyroidism.

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)

• This is a very simple procedure with few complications. It involves a small needle which takes several samples of the thyroid nodules under ultrasound guidance with local anesthesia.
• You can drive yourself to the procedure without accompaniment.
• No special preparation is needed for FNA, except for those on blood thinners.
• We perform FNAs onsite with interpretation, diagnoses and treatment administered by Dr. Scumpia.

Gene Afirma GEC

• This is a special and relatively new genetic test which is performed on any suspicious thyroid nodules to facilitate referrals to surgery in the event that it is positive.
• We provide this special service for all thyroid nodules deemed to be suspicious.