| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
| Surgery | Significant goiter reduction Rapid decompression of trachea Prompt relief of symptoms Definite histologic diagnosis | Inpatient High cost Surgical risk Vocal cord paralysis: approximately 1% Hypoparathyroidism: approximately 1% Risk of hypothyroidism dependent of resection Risk of recurrence dependent of resection |
| Radioiodine | Most often outpatient If outpatient: low cost Few subjective side effects Goiter reduction: 50% within one year Improves inspiratory capacity in long term Can be repeated successfully | Limitation of administrated radioactivity Restricted proximity to other persons Contraceptives needed in fertile women Gradual reduction of the goiter Decreasing effect with increasing size Small risk of acute goiter enlargement Risk of thyroiditis: 3% Risk of transition into Graves' disease: 5% One-year risk of hypothyroidism: 15 to 20% Long-term cancer risk unknown |
| Levothyroxine | Outpatient Low cost May prevent new nodule formation | Low efficacy Lifelong treatment Adverse effects (bone, heart) Not feasible when TSH is suppressed |
