Oblique views in thyroid imaging

To assess the value of oblique thyroid views during routine thyroid scanning 73 sequential euthyroid patients with focal or diffuse thyroid pathology were studied. Oblique thyroid images did not alter the scan report in 37 patients shown to have a multinodular goitre on the anterior image. However, in the remaining 36 patients oblique thyroid images altered scan category in 30% of patients, mainly demonstrating multiple nodules in thyroids which would have been reported as having a solitary nodule on the anterior image alone. Despite the extra imaging time required, both anterior oblique thyroid images should be obtained in all euthyroid patients presenting with focal or diffuse thyroid pathology in whom the anterior image does not clearly demonstrate a multinodular goitre.