Do you know about thyroid nodules ultrasound? Help you understand thyroid ultrasound report

In recent years, people have gained more knowledge about medical knowledge, which has led to an increasing attention to thyroid disease! In fact, thyroid is a very common disease, with an incidence rate of about 20% in adults. Once a problem occurs, it will cause great harm to the body. The thyroid gland is an important endocrine organ in the human body. Although it is small and inconspicuous, it plays an important metabolic role in the human body. Let's take a look at this "organ" that looks like a butterfly! At the same time, if you can learn some basic knowledge, you will no longer be afraid of thyroid nodules. Therefore, I will take you into the field of "thyroid ultrasound" so that you can better understand this issue.

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1. Things about thyroid ultrasound!

Now more and more people are paying attention to their health and thyroid tests. Thyroid nodules are often found in our physical examinations. According to relevant statistics, about one-fifth of people have thyroid nodules. At the same time, the number of thyroid cancer patients in China will continue to remain at 20%. In annual examinations, the incidence of thyroid nodules is between 60% and 70%. Some people get goose bumps when they hear "There is a little thing on your neck"! Is this serious? Is it cancer? During B-ultrasound, everyone will be confused. How can he know his condition? In fact, don't worry, it is not difficult to understand the results of thyroid ultrasound examination. Ultrasound examination is simple to operate, non-invasive, low-cost, high-resolution, and can clearly show nodules larger than 2 mm in the thyroid gland, showing its boundaries, morphology, internal structure, etc. It is currently the most common examination method. It is recommended that all patients who pass palpation undergo high-resolution neck ultrasound examinations. This is mainly because ultrasound examination helps to determine whether there are nodules, and at the same time, it will clarify the size, number, location, substance, shape, and boundary of the nodules, and analyze whether there are abnormal lymph nodes. Thyroid nodules are now classified according to the ACR TIRADS. TIRADS 1: There are no nodules in the thyroid gland, and no nodule-related issues do not need to be dealt with. Regular physical examinations are sufficient. TIRADS 2: It is definitely a benign nodule. The treatment mainly depends on the size and location of the nodule. Generally, nodules of type 2 within 2 cm do not require any treatment, and routine thyroid ultrasound examinations are sufficient every year. TIRADS 3: The treatment plan for basically benign nodules is basically the same as TIRADS 2. TIRADS 4: Nodules suspected of malignancy. The difference between the 4A, 4B, and 4C subclassifications is mainly in the probability of malignant risk. Nodules of grade 4A have 1 malignant sign and a 2% to 10% risk of malignancy. Generally, doctors will recommend a reexamination within six months; nodules of grade 4C have 3 to 4 malignant signs and a 50% to 90% risk of malignancy. Surgery should be performed as soon as possible according to the attending physician's advice. TIRADS 5: Basically malignant nodules. Thyroid nodules have more than 4 malignant signs and a high risk of malignancy. Early surgical treatment is generally recommended. TIRADS 6: Nodules that have been confirmed to be malignant by puncture. Nodules of this level have been confirmed to be malignant by pathological examination, that is, they are confirmed to be thyroid cancer. If the nodule is malignant and larger than 1 cm, surgical treatment can be selected.

2. Why do we use ultrasound for examination?

At present, ultrasound is the most common and least expensive means of examining thyroid nodules in clinical practice. If the thyroid nodules and color Doppler ultrasound are unclear, a puncture biopsy can be performed, but thyroid nodules require ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy. The sonogram of thyroid nodules is an important basis for early diagnosis and differentiation of benign lesions. Most people believe that thyroid nodules are a benign disease. As for thyroid tumors, they are thyroid cancer. B-ultrasound is currently an important examination method for malignant tumors, and B-ultrasound is currently the most commonly used examination method. If it is a malignant tumor, a puncture biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis and differentiation. At the same time, all thyroid nodules require neck ultrasound examination and assessment of malignant risk. Its advantage is that it can promptly detect the presence or absence of nodules in the thyroid tissue, and it has irreplaceable advantages in real-time dynamic observation of nodules, preoperative evaluation, ultrasound-guided interventional diagnosis and treatment, intraoperative positioning, and postoperative follow-up.

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3. Under what circumstances is a thyroid ultrasound examination necessary?

With the increasing incidence in recent years, people's awareness of thyroid has gradually increased, and it is inevitable to do some thyroid function tests. Let me tell you about it! This is a real feast! When should the thyroid be tested? (1) Long-term constipation and diarrhea: It has a hormone that promotes intestinal peristalsis. When hypothyroidism occurs, the hormone in the body will decrease, causing constipation. Hyperthyroidism can cause frequent bowel movements and diarrhea. Therefore, if long-term constipation or diarrhea occurs, you can go to the hospital to check whether you have a thyroid disease. (2) Mental instability: Thyroid hormone is a substance that can regulate a person's mood. If there is a thyroid dysfunction, it will cause a person's mood to be unstable. So if a person's personality has changed a lot, the first thing to do is to do a thyroid test.

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(3) Obesity or thinness is also closely related to metabolism. If your exercise intensity remains the same but your weight changes significantly, then there is something wrong with your thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism will reduce a person's metabolism, reduce energy, and cause a sharp increase in weight. Hyperthyroidism is just the opposite. It will accelerate metabolism and increase energy consumption, resulting in a continuous decrease in body weight. Therefore, anyone who says on the Internet that "drinking water will make you fat" or "you will never get fat no matter what" can go to the hospital for a thyroid test. This is likely hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.

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(4) Neck thickening: In the front of the neck near the base of the neck, both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can cause the thyroid gland to enlarge, which may even affect voice, swallowing, breathing, etc. If you experience abnormalities during swallowing, or find something hard under the Adam's apple with your fingers, you need to get checked out in time.

4. Interpretation of thyroid ultrasound examination results

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Many people will find that they have thyroid disease during the examination. This is a disease without symptoms and is often only detected during a physical examination. So everyone is curious about how to interpret the thyroid ultrasound results. (1) Uneven ultrasound reflection: This is a description of the thyroid signal. It reflects whether the texture of the thyroid tissue is consistent and whether there is local swelling. This situation is usually related to thyroid inflammation and is not very serious. (2) Abundant blood flow: If there is blood supply, it may indicate hyperthyroidism. It should be analyzed in combination with the test results. (3) Blurred boundaries: Whether the boundary line is clear or not is a judgment on whether there is a capsule. If the boundary line is unclear, it indicates whether there is a capsule. This is an important sign for clinically determining the nature of the tumor. (4) Calcification: Calcification is a very valuable manifestation. When B-ultrasound shows tiny point calcification or sandy calcification, especially when the edge is unclear, it may be considered a malignant tumor.

Conclusion

With the improvement of modern living standards, people's awareness of physical health and disease prevention has gradually increased, and thyroid ultrasound examination has become an indispensable part of health check-ups. Some "thyroid friends" also asked, do you need to fast for a thyroid ultrasound examination? Here I would like to remind all friends that you do not need to fast for a thyroid ultrasound examination. It can be done in the morning or afternoon, and you can have the examination at any time! A single ultrasound feature is not sufficient to determine whether a thyroid nodule is benign or malignant, especially for some atypical nodules. If necessary, ultrasound-guided puncture cytology and genetic testing are required to further clarify the nature of the nodule. Don't panic if a thyroid nodule is found on ultrasound. It is recommended to consult a specialist. The clinician will make a comprehensive judgment based on the examination and ultimately decide on follow-up, biopsy or surgical treatment.