Ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland allows for a precise assessment of the size of any changes in this gland. Thyroid ultrasound is a quick, painless, non-invasive and safe examination. Check how the thyroid ultrasound is going, what are the indications for its performance and what diseases can be diagnosed thanks to this examination.
Ultrasound examination (USG) of the thyroid glandis the simplest and least invasive method of examining the thyroid gland. With an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, it is possible to determine the size, size, shape, position and structure of this gland, and to find out if there are lumps, cysts or other changes that cannot be detected by touching the thyroid gland.
When the doctor detects disturbing changes, a thyroid biopsy is performed, which involves taking a fragment of the lump with a needle. Then it is sent to a pathologist. Laboratory tests distinguish benign lesions from thyroid cancer.
USG of the thyroid gland - indications for the examination
The endocrinologist orders an ultrasound of the thyroid gland usually when the circumference of the neck is enlarged or any changes in the thyroid gland are sensed during a touch test. Ultrasound of the thyroid gland is also shown when tests of thyroid hormone levels are abnormal (diagnosis of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism). The test is also performed to control the hormonal treatment of the thyroid gland.
According to an expertprof. Marek Dedecjus, head of the Department of Oncological Endocrinology and Nuclear Medicine, COI Maria Skłodowska CurieEarly cancer diagnosis and appropriate treatment give more than 90 percent chances of recovery in the most common types of malignant thyroid neoplasms. That is why it is worth using ultrasound of the thyroid gland - at least once every two years when there are changes in the thyroid gland, if the doctor's recommendations are not different.
Two groups of patients who should be especially careful about ultrasound examination are patients with hereditary thyroid cancer and patients who have had radiation therapy in the neck area in the past.
Ultrasound of the thyroid gland - how to prepare for the test?
There is no need to prepare for the examination. If ultrasound or scintigraphic tests of the thyroid gland, as well as thyroid hormone level tests have been performed before, the patient should have the results with him.
Thyroid ultrasound - what is it?
Ultrasound is a painless and safe examination that lasts a few minutes. They are performed lying down. The doctor lubricates the neck with a special gel and then moves the ultrasound head over it. The image obtained thanks to it is displayed on the monitor. The result is provided in the form of a description with an attached printout of ultrasound images.
thyroid ultrasound - test results
The volume of the thyroid gland should be a maximum of 18-20 ml for women and 25 ml for men. Exceeding this norm suggests that the goiter has developed. If the test shows a uniform enlargement of the thyroid gland, it is a parenchymal goiter. However, if single nodules or many nodules appear in the thyroid parenchyma, it is a nodular goiter.
Worth knowingAre you examining your breasts? Check the thyroid gland!
- We are extremely pleased that we have managed to develop the principles of breast cancer prevention in Poland. More and more Polish women remember about pedestrian examinations. That is why it is worth considering the thyroid gland while taking care of breast he alth. We encourage women to ask their doctor to use ultrasound to check the thyroid gland with an ultrasound while performing an ultrasound of the breast - encourages Elżbieta Kozik, president of the Polskie Amazonki Ruch social organization.
Thyroid tests
Thyroid examinations can be divided into two parts - examining the level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland and imaging examinations, the most popular of which is ultrasound. Our expert - endocrinologist Marta Kunkel from Medicover Hospital tells what these thyroid tests look like and what they show.