An ultrasound is a diagnostic test that uses sound waves to take pictures of your thyroid. This test can help doctors detect nodules that are too small to feel, measure their size, and determine if they are cancerous or not. A CT scan also reveals any swelling that has occurred in your thyroid. If you suspect that you have thyroid cancer, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor for a CT scan. This test is recommended by most doctors for follicular thyroid cancer, although it can be done for any type of thyroid disease.
There are several tests available to diagnose thyroid cancer. A physical exam and neck examination can rule out other possible health problems, such as an overactive thyroid gland. Often, an ultrasound will reveal a lump that is not cancerous. However, if you do experience any symptoms, it is important to talk to your doctor immediately. You may have thyroid cancer but not know it. You may have another condition, or a tumor that has already spread.
Thyroid cancer can recur after treatment. It can recur in the thyroid or spread to other parts of the body, like the carotid artery or spine. A recurrence of thyroid cancer may be dangerous, so you must be careful when pursuing treatment. If you have had surgery and radiation treatments, you should expect to have some side effects. But most people get over these side effects after a few months.
While thyroid cancer doesn’t grow fast, it has a long-term effect on the body. After treatment, it may recur as early as 10 to 20 years later. Therefore, you must continue to see your doctor regularly. You’ll undergo blood tests, and have exams every three to six months. After the first six months, you may need to have more frequent follow-up visits. Your doctor will check your thyroid gland to see how the treatment is working.
If your cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, your surgeon may remove the tissue around the neck. Otherwise, if you have cancer outside of the neck, treatment options may include surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, or external radiation. If your cancer has spread to other parts of the body, your surgeon may suggest radioactive iodine therapy, which can destroy the remaining tissue in the neck. But if your thyroid is localized, radioactive iodine therapy is not recommended.
If you have a family history of thyroid cancer, you should consider taking a DNA test. RET proto-oncogenes can help detect thyroid cancer, which is usually caused by a genetic syndrome. Your doctor can perform the test for this gene. It’s important to note that these mutations may occur only in families with a genetic tendency to develop thyroid cancer. If it’s found early, the cancer can be controlled.
A fine needle aspiration is an important diagnostic test used to determine whether a thyroid nodule is benign or cancerous. During the biopsy, the doctor will inject a local anesthetic into the skin around the nodule. The needle will then aspirate cells and fluid from the thyroid. A cytopathologist will then create a report on the results. Positive results mean there are cancerous cells in the nodule, while negative results mean the nodule is not malignant.
