Thyroid nodules are growths that develop from the thyroid gland. They are most common in older women. Nearly 80% of women aged 80 will have a thyroid nodule. Majority of nodules are benign (non-cancerous) but emerging data shows that the risk of having a malignant (cancerous) nodule increases with age. The first step in evaluating a nodule is to perform an ultrasound of the thyroid. This imaging test can help show the doctor if the nodule looks more cancerous than not. If needed, the doctor will take some cells from the nodule using a fine needle (fine needle aspiration biopsy) and send it for further testing.