In most cases, the situation is that of the discovery of a thyroid nodule, and it is necessary to know whether or not it causes thyroid dysfunction and its benign or malignant nature.

The ultrasound confirms or not the presence of a nodule, specifies the number, size and location. It checks for the presence or absence of lymphadenopathy

Fine needle aspiration (painless needle puncture) removes cells for examination and may or may not provide evidence for a malignant tumor

These examinations can be supplemented by a thyroid scintigraphy, a CT scan or an MRI.

When thyroid cancer is suspected, it is often the surgical intervention with histological examination of the tumor which makes it possible or not to confirm it.