Thyroid examination
The doctor will ask you many questions to find out if you have thyroid symptoms. He will ask you about thyroid disorder in your family and about any personal history of thyroid disorder.
Important blood values for thyroid gland examinations
TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) is, besides the thyroid hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxin/tetraiodothyronine), important for the assessment of an over- or underactive thyroid gland.
If an autoimmune thyroid disorder is suspected, the antibodies against the TSH receptor in the thyroid cell (TRAb) are determined as well as antibodies against the enzyme thyroperoxidase (TPO-Ab) and against the thyroid protein thyroglobulin (Tg-Ab).
Ultrasound of the thyroid gland (sonography)
In addition to blood values, ultrasound is the second focus of a thyroid gland examination. Here the thyroid gland is made visible painlessly and without radiation exposure. The doctor assesses the size, shape and tissue structure of the thyroid gland. He searches for indications of inflammation or thyroid nodules.
What CANNOT be seen in the ultrasound is over- or underactivity, and it is impossible to distinguish between hot or cold or benign or malignant nodules.
Scintigraphy of the thyroid gland
Here the metabolism of the thyroid gland is shown in the functional image. Hot (active) nodules can be distinguished from cold (inactive) nodules. You can see which nodules do not need fine-needle puncture and whether active thyroid remains are present after an operation.
Ultrasound-guided fine needle puncture
A very thin needle is used to remove a small number of thyroid cells from a nodule. This is no more painful than taking a blood sample from the arm. The sample taken is examined in a specialized laboratory. Please note: blood thinners (e.g. aspirin) must not be taken one week before a thyroid puncture.
Thyroid gland tumor follow-up examinations
are a focal point of our competence center. A precise knowledge of the medical history and the previous findings is important in order to guarantee a high degree of safety. For your well-being and for a high-quality examination you will always be cared for by the same thyroid doctor.
