Thyroid ultrasound

Thyroid ultrasound – what is it?

Thyroid ultrasound is used to diagnose:

• thyroid dysfunction.

Thyroid ultrasound reveals:

• the thyroid’s size (dimensions of the lobes, thickness of the isthmus and volume of the thyroid gland);
• echogenicity of the parenchyma;
• the thyroid’s echo-structure;
• presence of focal lesions or nodules in the parenchyma;
• number, size, shape and echo-structure of cervical lymph nodes.

Thyroid ultrasound is the primary imaging examination in patients with suspected thyroid disease. This examination is used to determine the size, shape and position of the gland and conduct its morphological assessment. An integral part of thyroid ultrasound is the evaluation of the surrounding lymph nodes. The ultrasound procedure is based on the phenomenon of reflection of ultrasound waves against the structure of the organs – it is a non-invasive technique and the examination itself is safe and painless.

During the examination, the doctor applies a special gel to the neck in order to obtain a good quality image. The application of the gel may cause discomfort (coldness, sticky feeling), which passes once the examination is completed and the gel is wiped off the examined area.

Indications for thyroid ultrasound:

• differentiating between autoimmune and non-autoimmune thyroid diseases;
• conducting the assessment of cervical lymph nodes;
• enlargement of the gland without a palpable nodule;
• palpable nodule or nodular goiter;
• incidental detection of a focal lesion in the thyroid gland during ultrasound, computed tomography or MRI performed for other reasons;
• controlling the size of nodules/benign focal lesions in the thyroid;
• monitoring the effects of treatment.

Thyroid ultrasound is also performed to select the area for fine-needle aspiration biopsy as well as during the biopsy itself – to monitor the position of the needle.

At Medicover Hospital, the examination is only available for adults, i.e. persons over 18 years of age.

Thyroid ultrasound – preparation

• A non-invasive examination.
• Duration of the examination: approx. 15-20 minutes.
• There are no contraindications to performing this examination.

At Medicover Hospital, the examination is only available for adults, i.e. persons over 18 years of age.

Results of the examination