Ultrasonics in the diagnosis of thyroid disease

Ultrasonic A scans of the thyroid have been carried out on 47 patients with suspected thyroid disease. It was possible to measure the antero-posterior diameter of each lobe and to identify whether the tissue was homogeneous, nodular or cystic. Measurement of individual nodules or cysts was accurate to within 5 mm when compared with the tissue removed at operation. Ultrasonic examination was able to differentiate other lumps, in the neck from those arising in the thyroid gland. It is concluded that ultrasonic examination of the thyroid is a useful adjunct to other conventional tests and deserves to be used more widely.