Diagnosis, investigations and tests

If you are referred to the Cancer Centre you may have all or some of the following diagnostic tests:

 

Blood tests — Read more about blood tests and book your next appointment.

 

Ultasound scan — An ultrasound scan uses high frequency sound waves to create images of the internal soft tissues of the neck.

 

Biospy — Your doctor may take a sample of your thyroid gland using a needle. This small sample of tissue will them be examined by a scientist in the laboratory. This type of biopsy can take place in one of our outpatient clinics and the doctor can numb the area with some anaesthetic spray.

 

If you have been told you have thyroid cancer you may need more investigations and scans. These, along with the tests you've already had, will help the specialists find out the size of the cancer and how far it's spread (called the stage).

You may need some of the following:

 

CT scan - CT scans take pictures of your body to find out where the cancer is and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. This normally takes around 10 minutes. Read more about CT scans.

MRI scan - MRI scans use strong magentic fields and radio waves to create a cross sectional picture of the body. You will have an MRI scan to see if your cancer has spread. The scan itself normally takes around 45 minutes to one hour. Learn more about MRI scans

PET scan – Positron emission tomography (PET) scan produce detailed three-dimensional images of inside the body. The images can clearly show the part of the body being investigated, including abnormal areas, and can highlight how well certain functions of the body are working. Discover more about PET scans.

 

Endoscope - This is a test where a thin, flexible tube with a small camera at the end is passed through the nose to check your vocal cords.