I would have never thought a routine MRI of the cervical spine would come back with a diagnosis of thyroid nodule but it did. My internal medicine doctor initially ordered a MRI of my cervical neck for some discomfort and pain in my upper neck and back.  This neck pain was a result from a compacted disc in my spine…nothing to do with my thyroid....

However, the MRI fortunately gives a picture of the neck from the front to back going directly through the thyroid.  Thus, the discovery of the thyroid nodule.  The radiologist diagnosed a left thyroid nodule from the MRI.  At this time the radiologist recommended an ultrasound of my thyroid to further investigate the nodule.

My internal medicine doctor initially told me about the nodule very casually and did not seem concerned.  She added that most nodules are benign and just need to be monitored.  I really didn’t think much of the nodule.  I am a 32 year old healthy male and cancer was the last thing on my mind.  She informed me that the chance of the nodule being cancer is extremely low.  Being young, healthy, and never really having any medical problems, this just seemed like another one of those thing that the doctors “just want to make sure was OK.”  So I scheduled an ultrasound and was off to my daily life.