Thyroid and Parathyroid Office Based Ultrasonography- Review Article

Abstract

Because of superficial location and not being covered by boney structure, thyroid is the ideal organ for 2-dimensional gray scale ultrasonography. Availability of relatively low cost equipment and ever increasing number of endocrinologists with expertise in thyroid ultrasound has made it an integral part of thyroid practice in the office of endocrinologists. In particular, the current recommendation for fine needle biopsy of thyroid nodules is ultrasound guided biopsy. Follow up of thyroid nodules for change in size can also be better documented by ultrasound than palpation. Although cytology obtained by fine needle biopsy is the gold standard for detection of malignancy, yet ultrasound features of the nodules direct the clinician to select for biopsy the higher risk nodules in a multinodular gland. For detection of parathyroid adenoma isotopic parathyroid scan is preferable but ultrasound is occasionally is needed for confirmation, in particular for cases when parathyroid isotopic scan is ambiguous. The present article is an overview of ultrasonography of thyroid and parathyroid intended for endocrinologists.

Keywords: Thyroid, Gray scale ultrasonography, Fine needle biopsy