The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that is usually located in the front of the neck. Most of them are not cancerous, but you still need to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. The most important thing is that you should see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Even if you are unfortunate enough to be “shot”, early treatment is better.
Doctors may diagnose thyroid cancer by:
Physical examination
The doctor will examine the lumps and nodules in the patient’s neck and ask questions such as whether there has been a lot of exposure to radiation and whether there is a family history of thyroid cancer or thyroid disease.
Laryngoscopy
The doctor uses a mirror or laryngoscope to examine the larynx. A laryngoscope is a thin, tube-like instrument with a light source and a lens. A thyroid tumor can compress the vocal cords, and a laryngoscopy is done to determine if the vocal cords are moving properly.
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Blood hormone tests
The levels of hormones released into the blood by organs or tissues can be checked, and if abnormal (too high or too low) may indicate organ or tissue disease. Examples include thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyrocalcitonin, and antithyroid antibody levels.
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Genetic testing
If there is a family history of the disease, your doctor may recommend genetic testing to determine the chances of developing cancer. The test shows genetic changes that may suggest certain types of thyroid cancer.
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Biopsy
Biopsy is an effective way to diagnose cancer if a lump is present in the thyroid.
The doctor will use a fine needle to remove a small sample of tissue from the lump or its surrounding area and send it to the lab for testing. A fine needle biopsy can be done on an outpatient basis with no recovery time.
The biopsy can also be done during surgery. The thyroid nodule or one lobe of the thyroid is surgically removed and the pathologist looks at its cells and tissues under a microscope.
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Ultrasound
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to show images of the thyroid gland and can detect thyroid nodules, including nodules that patients cannot feel themselves.
Ultrasound can detect whether a lump is liquid or solid. A solid mass is likely to contain cancer cells, but more tests are needed to determine this as well. Ultrasound can also show information such as the number and size of thyroid nodules and whether the tumor has metastasized.
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CT
CT can detect the size and location of thyroid cancer and whether it has metastasized to other parts of the body.
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PET-CT
Physicians may recommend PET-CT to patients, which can detect abnormalities at the cellular level and enable early diagnosis.
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