Thyroid and Parathyroid Disorders
Thyroid disease happens when your body produces abnormally high or low levels of thyroid hormone. Cedars-Sinai is home to a team of doctors who specialize in diagnosing these problems. Our expertise spans many conditions, including parathyroid disease and thyroid cancer.
What Is Thyroid Disease?
The thyroid gland produces hormones that control your metabolism, the rate at which your body uses energy. And your metabolism affects every organ in your body. Having abnormally high or low levels of thyroid hormone can affect you in many ways. You may experience weight gain or nervousness from thyroid diseases.
Find out more about the conditions we treat.
Our Approach to Thyroid Disease
Experts at Cedars-Sinai get to the source of your symptoms so you can receive the therapies that are best for your needs. Our team includes endocrinologists who offer a wealth of experience caring for common and complex forms of thyroid disease.
Our approach includes:
There are many types of thyroid testing, which evaluate whether your thyroid is working properly. We offer imaging to detect parathyroid adenomas, including 4D CT and Sestamibi scans. We determine which test is right for you, so we can accurately diagnose the problem.
We avoid unnecessary treatments. Some problems, such as mild hypothyroidism, are not severe enough to require treatment. We may recommend regular monitoring to check for new or worsening symptoms.
Some people get better with replacement hormone therapy to restore normal thyroid hormone levels. We tailor doses to help you achieve the greatest benefit with fewer side effects. Our experts consider factors such as weight and age, so you receive the appropriate level of hormones for your needs. Read more about medical and hormone replacement therapy for endocrine disorders.
Coordinated Care for Parathyroid Disease
Your parathyroid is different from your thyroid. This set of four glands regulates levels of calcium in your body. An overactive parathyroid can affect bone health. Find out more about parathyroid disease.
Many forms of parathyroid disease stem from tumors, which may or may not be cancerous. And in many cases, surgery is not necessary. We perform a detailed evaluation that may include 4D CT scans and ultrasound studies.
We use a team approach, coordinating the expertise of multiple specialists, including:
- Nuclear medicine doctors
- Endocrinology surgeons
Thyroid Nodule and Thyroid Cancer Services
Thyroid nodules are abnormal lumps in your thyroid gland that often have a low risk of becoming cancerous.
We help you receive appropriate care with offerings that include:
Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery
If you need surgery, you are in capable hands. Our team includes surgeons with advanced (fellowship) training who offer the latest options. And we perform a high volume of procedures, giving you the best chances for good results.
Surgery may be necessary for suspicious nodules. A tissue sample (biopsy) can confirm or rule out cancer. If it is cancer, we may need to remove all or part of your thyroid or parathyroid. Get more information about thyroid surgery and parathyroid surgery.