Thyroid Ultrasound

Thyroid

The thyroid ultrasound is an imaging procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves  to examine the thyroid gland and the surrounding structures.

This exam will evaluate the:

Thyroid lobes – the thyroid gland consists of two oblong-shaped lobes (right and left)

Isthmus – the portion of the thyroid gland that connects the right and left lobes.

The thyroid gland is located in the lower part of the neck, below the Adam’s apple, wrapped around the trachea (windpipe). It has the shape of a butterfly: two wings (lobes) attached to one another by a middle part (isthmus).

The thyroid uses iodine, a mineral found in some foods and in iodized salt, to make its hormones. The two most important thyroid hormones are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is produced by the pituitary gland, acts to stimulate hormone production by the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland also makes the hormone calcitonin, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulating bone cells to add calcium to bone.