[Thyroid scintigraphy as diagnostic method evaluation of thyroid diseases].

The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. It may enlarge substanially during pregnancy and when affected by a variety of diseases. The thyroid gland produces hormones, that regulates all metabolic processes and affect the growth and rate of functioning of many other systems in the body. Studies of the endocrine system are among the original procedures in nuclear medicine. Thyroid scintigraphy and radiotracer uptake studies remain an important part of the practice of nuclear medicine. Scintigraphy reveales functional and anatomy changes in status of thyroid gland. A systematic and complete interpretation of the thyroid scintigrams requires assessments of thyroid size and configuration and identification and description of focal abnormalities, including hot and cold nodules and extratyroidal activity in the neck or mediastinum.