Thyroid Ultrasound
Prior to an ultrasound of the thyroid gland, a thorough clinical exam is performed and the levels of specifically chosen hormones are tested in the blood.
We have cutting-edge equipment dedicated to diagnostic testing. To ensure very high-quality images, we use the SuperSonic Aixplorer MACH 30, a latest-generation ultrasound system.
A specific appointment is scheduled to perform the ultrasound. The exam is entirely pain-free. The patient is lying down in the supine position with the neck slightly stretched to facilitate access to the thyroid gland. The transducers are systematically disinfected between each exam. The practitioner applies ultrasound gel to the base of the neck. The procedure lasts between ten and twenty minutes, depending on the disorder.
The EU-TIRADS reporting system (updated in June 2017) is used for the ultrasound assessment of thyroid nodules and risk stratification.
EU-TIRADS CLASSIFICATION OF THYROID NODULES
|
EU-TIRADS RECOMMENDATION |
TIRADS SCORE | CATEGORY | MALIGNANCY RISK, % |
| 1 | Normal | - | |
| R2 | 2 | Benigh | ~= 0 |
| R3 | 3 | Low Risk | 2-4 |
| R4 | 4 | Intermediate Risk | 6-17 |
| R5 | 5 | High Risk | 26-87 |
Ultrasound is indicated in the following cases:
- Abnormality detected during a thyroid palpation exam
- Initial assessment of thyroid nodules, simple goiters or multinodular goiters
- Surveillance following for thyroid cancer surgery
- Fine-needle aspiration guidance
- Surveillance of non-operated nodules
Specific situations:
- To search for primary thyroid cancer in the case of a metastasis originating elsewhere
- Hyperthyroidism: signs of auto-immune thyroiditis revealed by ultrasound
- To determine the cause of hyperthyroidism (in particular for Graves’, or Basedow, disease, useful for diagnosis and prognosis)
- Post-operative surveillance following thyroid surgery
- Surveillance of nodules following percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) or thermal ablation
ULTRASOUND IMAGE OF NORMAL THYROID (CROSS SECTION)
