Thyroid Cancer

How is thyroid cancer diagnosed?

Tests and procedures used to diagnose thyroid cancer include:

• Physical examination
  The doctor will examine the neck to feel for physical changes in the thyroid, such as thyroid nodules. The doctor will also ask you about possible risk factors such as past exposure to radiation and if you have a family history of thyroid tumours.


• Blood test for thyroid function
  A blood test may be done to measure the levels of the thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and check if the thyroid is functioning normally.


• Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC)
  If a lump in the neck is detected, the doctor may recommend a biopsy to evaluate the lump. FNAC biopsy is a procedure where the doctor passes a small needle through the lump to remove a sample of cells for further testing. These cells will be examined in the lab under a microscope to look for signs of cancer.


• Ultrasound scan
  An ultrasound scan uses sound waves to produce an image of the thyroid and neck structures on a screen. This scan is very useful for evaluating thyroid nodules and look for features that may indicate that the thyroid nodule is cancerous. It is also useful for looking for any enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. The ultrasound scan is painless and there is no ionising radiation involved.


• Computer Tomographic (CT) scan
  The CT scan uses ionising radiation to produce an image and may involve the use of a contrast dye which is injected through a vein to make the details of the scan easier to interpret. This scan helps the doctor determine whether the cancer has spread beyond the thyroid.