Thyroid Ultrasound

Thyroid Ultrasound

An ultrasound of the thyroid produces a picture of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in front of the neck just below the Adam's apple and is shaped like a butterfly, with two lobes on either side of the neck connected by a narrow band of tissue.

Common Uses of Thyroid Ultrasound

An ultrasound of the thyroid is typically used to help diagnose:

• A lump in the thyroid.
• A thyroid that is not functioning properly.

Because ultrasound provides real-time images, it also can be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies, in which needles are used to extract sample cells from an abnormal area for laboratory testing.