How is thyroid cancer diagnosed?

 

Diagnosing Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid cancer is usually diagnosed after a person goes to a doctor because of symptoms or during a routine physical exam or other tests. If there is a reason to suspect you might have thyroid cancer, your doctor will use one or more tests to confirm the diagnosis

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.Here are some of the tests and procedures used to diagnose thyroid cancer:

1. Physical exam: The doctor will feel the neck, thyroid gland, throat, and lymph nodes in the neck for unusual growths or swelling. If surgery is recommended, the larynx may be examined at the same time with a laryngoscope, which is a thin, flexible tube with a light and a lens for viewing
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2. Blood tests: A blood test cannot diagnose thyroid cancer, but it may help rule out other conditions, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Your levels of T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) are usually checked first
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3. Ultrasound imaging: Ultrasound is an ideal imaging modality for detection and assessment of a thyroid nodule. It is easy to perform, widely available, and does not involve ionizing radiation
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   . Ultrasound can help determine the size and characteristics of a thyroid nodule and whether it is solid or fluid-filled
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4. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB): During FNAB, a long, thin needle is inserted through the skin and into the suspicious area. Cells are removed and analyzed to see if they are cancerous
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   . FNAB is the most accurate and cost-effective method for evaluating thyroid nodules
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5. Molecular testing: Genetic testing (on DNA from the blood) may be used in very rare cases of medullary thyroid cancer
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   . Laboratory tests for tumor markers (including thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], thyroglobulin [Tg], and thyroglobulin antibody [TgAb]) are also used in thyroid cancer monitoring and surveillance
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6. Imaging tests: Other imaging tests, such as CT (computerized tomography) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and radioiodine scans, may be used to determine the location and size of thyroid cancers and whether they have spread to nearby areas
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If cancer is found, additional tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis and determine what type of thyroid cancer is present. The actual diagnosis of thyroid cancer is made with a biopsy, in which cells from the thyroid nodule are removed and analyzed under a microscope

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.Remember that only a small percentage of thyroid nodules turn out to be cancerous. It is important to identify a cancerous nodule as soon as possible, so that you can begin treatment quickly.

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cancer

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cancer

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cancercouncil

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nih

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mayoclinic

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nih

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thyca

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arupconsult