What a Thyroid Ultrasound Can Tell You

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the front of your neck. Despite its size, the thyroid has an outsized role in your body. It produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, energy levels, and your mood. 

An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) causes persistent tiredness, weight gain, dry skin, thinning hair, and a general feeling of heaviness. An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) causes unintended weight loss, irregular heartbeat, anxiety, excessive sweating, and difficulty sleeping.

A thyroid ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging test that uses sound waves to produce detailed images of the thyroid gland. There’s no radiation involved, no injections, and no discomfort. It allows us to assess the size, shape, and structure of your thyroid and identify any abnormalities that may not be detectable on bloodwork alone.

If you have symptoms that suggest a thyroid issue, or if your doctor has detected something on a physical exam, at Rose Women’s Medical Center, you can come in for a thyroid ultrasound and also have your results properly evaluated. In this article, we’ll walk through what a thyroid ultrasound can detect, how to make sense of the results, and what comes next if something is found.

What can a thyroid ultrasound detect?

One of the primary uses of a thyroid ultrasound is to detect nodules, small growths within the thyroid gland. Most nodules are non-cancerous, but ultrasound provides information to help determine which, if any, need further evaluation.

Beyond nodules, a thyroid ultrasound can detect an enlarged thyroid (a goiter) and provide information about why it’s enlarged and how significantly. It can show signs of thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid. 

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition that is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in women, can be detected by an ultrasound. Graves’ disease, which is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, can also show changes in blood flow patterns that are visible on ultrasound.

Who typically gets a thyroid ultrasound?

There are several reasons a provider might recommend a thyroid ultrasound. The most common is that something was felt during a physical exam. If you’ve been experiencing unexplained fatigue, weight changes, sensitivity to temperature, changes in heart rate, or other symptoms that suggest thyroid dysfunction, your provider may order both blood tests and an ultrasound to evaluate the gland. 

Abnormal thyroid blood test results can also prompt an ultrasound to determine whether the gland's structural appearance provides an additional explanation. Women are significantly more likely than men to develop thyroid conditions, which is one reason thyroid evaluation comes up regularly for women. 

A family history of thyroid disease or certain autoimmune conditions can also increase the likelihood that an ultrasound will be recommended during a routine evaluation.

Understanding your results

If no nodules are found and the gland looks normal, that’s reassuring information, particularly if your bloodwork is also normal. If the texture of the gland appears uneven or there are other signs consistent with a condition like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, your provider can factor that into how they’re interpreting your thyroid hormone levels and whether any follow-up is needed.

If nodules are found, the report will typically describe each one using a standardized classification system that assigns a risk category based on the nodule’s features. Low-risk nodules may simply be monitored with periodic ultrasounds over time to make sure they aren’t growing or changing. Intermediate- or high-risk nodules may be referred for biopsy. 

It’s worth emphasizing that the large majority of thyroid nodules, even those that go to biopsy, turn out to be benign. 

What happens after the ultrasound?

If a nodule is identified that needs monitoring, your provider will set up a schedule for follow-up ultrasounds (often at six months to a year later) to track whether anything has changed. If bloodwork results point to hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, the ultrasound findings help inform how the condition will be managed going forward.

 If a biopsy is recommended, your provider will explain what that involves and what you can expect from the process.

Thyroid conditions are common, particularly in women, and they can impact your quality of life when left unaddressed. The symptoms are easy to attribute to other issues, which means thyroid problems often go unrecognized longer than they should.

If you’ve been dealing with symptoms that could point to a thyroid problem, or if a nodule or enlarged gland has already been identified, schedule a consultation with us at Rose Women’s Medical Center or call us at 331-233-1350 for a thorough evaluation, including a thyroid ultrasound.