What is a hot nodule?

A thyroid nodule that takes up an excessive amount of tracer on a thyroid scan will produce a dark spot when a picture is generated. If the nodule is overactive, the excess thyroid hormone that it produces may suppress the function of the rest of the thyroid gland, impairing the uptake of tracer in normal tissue. This produces a picture of the thyroid nodule as a dark spot against a very light background, marking it as a hot nodule. Hot nodules are almost always benign. While they do not have to be evaluated as possible cancer, they do need to be evaluated for possible overactivity. A hot nodule that is overactive to the point where it produces excess thyroid hormone is called a toxic adenoma.

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