Accurately diagnosing thyroid cancer, including the type of thyroid cancer, is a critical step to developing the most effective treatment plan. Our expert endocrinologists, pathologists, cytopathologists, radiologists, and geneticists use advanced techniques to:
- Evaluate thyroid nodules
- Distinguish between benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) disease
- Confirm a new diagnosis and type of thyroid cancer
- Assess recurrent disease
- Provide risk assessment in individuals with a family history of thyroid cancer
Diagnosing Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid Nodule Evaluation
Specialists in the Thyroid Nodule Clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital use the latest diagnostic and imaging technologies to evaluate suspicious thyroid nodules.
Our endocrinologists have extensive experience examining nodules using ultrasound guidance and testing suspicious nodules through fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. In this office-based procedure, a thin needle is guided by ultrasound to remove cells from the thyroid nodule. These samples are then examined by our pathologists and cytopathologists. The Clinic's registry of thyroid nodule biopsy results allows close monitoring of patient nodules for growth or change.
Among the largest in the nation, our Thyroid Nodule Clinic is led by Erik Alexander, MD, chief of the Thyroid Section of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Alexander is a member of a panel of the American Thyroid Association that establishes guidelines for the management of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer care.