Ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Indications and the course of the study

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You hear about problems with the thyroid gland more and more. It is estimated that every 5th Pole is struggling with ailments from this gland. Fortunately, awareness among patients is growing and more and more people decide to undergo diagnostic tests for thyroid diseases. One of them is an ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. What is this examination about?

What is the thyroid and parathyroid glands?

The thyroid gland is an organ located in the neck that resembles a butterfly. Its main task is the production of hormones necessary for the proper functioning of the body. For this reason, when the thyroid gland does not function properly, it affects the work of the entire body. Sudden appear weight fluctuations, hair loss, constant fatigue and drowsiness and feeling cold and digestive system ailments.

Parathyroid glands are, in turn, as the name suggests, glands located next to the thyroid gland. They have a structure of fine grains. Although inconspicuous, they are responsible for the regulation and proper functioning of the body’s phosphorus-calcium balance. In addition, they take part in vitamin D production, so important for the functioning of the body, especially in the autumn and winter months.

What is an ultrasound examination of the thyroid and parathyroid glands?

An ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands is a scan that is done using a device called an ultrasound scanner. On the basis of ultrasound, you can assess the size of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, the condition of these glands and their structure.

Ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands is painless, safe and non-invasive. The patient’s neck is covered with a special gel in the place where the thyroid gland is, and then the doctor puts the ultrasound head to the neck and moves it in order to obtain the most accurate image of the thyroid gland. The magnified image is visible on the monitor screen.

Indications for ultrasound examination of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

Ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands for an examination, which in most cases is ordered as a follow-up examination abnormal TSH results, FT3, FT4, anti-TPO and -TG antibodies. Ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands is also performed in the case of:

  1. patient reporting symptoms characteristic of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism;
  2. diagnosed thyroid diseases in the patient’s family;
  3. check-ups in patients diagnosed with thyroid diseases;
  4. removal of tumors and thyroid neoplasm to monitor possible recurrences;
  5. the need to diagnose inflammatory conditions of the thyroid gland, such as Hashimoto’s disease or Graves’ disease;
  6. monitoring of previously diagnosed changes in the thyroid gland.

For prophylactic purposes, ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands should be performed every few years – in the absence of thyroid symptoms – at least every 3 years. Early detection of a malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland thanks to ultrasound examination gives approx. 90 percent. chances of complete recovery.

If there are any in the family cases of thyroid neoplasms, an ultrasound scan of this organ should be performed once a year, at least every two years. An indication for more frequent than prophylactic ultrasound of the thyroid gland is also previous radiotherapy, also in the case of treatment with this method of neoplasms other than thyroid cancer. Patients who underwent radiotherapy in the neck area should especially take care of prophylaxis in the form of regular ultrasound of the thyroid gland.

Contraindications for ultrasound of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

The examination is completely painless and non-invasive. There are no contraindications to its implementation.

Preparation for ultrasound examination of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

No special preparation is necessary before making it – wear clothing in which the neck and cleavage will be exposed, or remove your blouse or sweater if you put on a turtleneck, for example. Before starting the examination, you should also remove pendants, chains or beads from the neck. If we have previous ultrasound results of the thyroid and parathyroid glands and thyroid hormone blood resultsit is worth taking them with you. Perhaps the doctor who performs the examination would like to have a broader picture of the condition of our gland.

The course of ultrasound examination of the thyroid and parathyroid glands

An ultrasound scan of the thyroid and parathyroid glands takes approximately 10 minutes. Ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland shows the dimensions, shape and volume of the thyroid and parathyroid glands as well as possible abnormalities in their structure. The structure of the tissue of these glands is also visible, which allows to detect cysts, calcifications, nodules and abnormal vascularization. It is also possible to assess the condition of the surrounding lymph nodes.

If, during the examination, disturbing changes in the thyroid or parathyroid glands are detected – for example, they turn out to be enlarged (changes may be parenchymal or nodular), further tests are usually ordered, especially thyroid biopsy. A biopsy involves taking a fragment of a nodule from the thyroid gland with a special needle. Then, the preparation obtained in this way is sent for a histopathological examination, on the basis of which it is determined whether the change in the thyroid gland is benign or it is a malignant tumor.

The result of an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland is in the form of a description with an attached printout of ultrasound images.

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