At a Glance
| Also called | Thyroid sonography, USG neck, USG thyroid, neck sonography |
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| Radiation and contrast | None: it uses sound waves; no injection |
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| Preparation | None; eat and take your medicines as usual (confirmed on WhatsApp) |
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| Scan time | Usually about 15-30 minutes |
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| Radiologists | Dr. Avinash Bansal and Dr. Vaishnavi Bansal, MD (Radiology), FMF (UK) |
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| Report | ACR TI-RADS score for nodules where applicable; most reports the same day, sent to your WhatsApp |
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| Price | Exact price confirmed on WhatsApp before your visit |
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| Hours | Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, Sun 8am-5pm |
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What a thyroid and neck ultrasound shows
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the lower neck that makes hormones controlling how your body uses energy. A high-frequency probe gives live pictures of the gland and the tissues around it, and colour Doppler shows blood flow. Patients also call it गले की सोनोग्राफी (Hindi) or गळ्याची सोनोग्राफी (Marathi).
Ultrasound shows the thyroid's structure, not how well it works; that needs blood tests. Sound waves do not pass through bone, so a goitre that extends behind the breastbone cannot be seen fully, and a CT may then be advised. The radiologist checks:
- Thyroid size, including a generally enlarged gland (goitre) or one with several nodules (multinodular goitre)
- Nodules: how many, their size and position, whether solid, fluid-filled (cystic) or mixed, and the features used for TI-RADS scoring
- Signs of inflammation (thyroiditis), such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or the increased blood flow often seen in an overactive gland in Graves' disease; blood tests confirm the cause
- Neck lymph nodes: size, shape and inner structure, which help tell a node reacting to an infection from one that needs a closer look
- Salivary glands in front of the ear and under the jaw: swelling, inflammation, stones and lumps
- Other neck lumps, such as a cyst, a fatty lump (lipoma) or an abscess
When doctors request a thyroid or neck ultrasound
Common reasons for a referral from your doctor, endocrinologist or ENT surgeon:
- A lump or swelling in the neck, or a thyroid that feels enlarged on examination
- A thyroid nodule noticed by chance on a CT, MRI or carotid Doppler
- Abnormal thyroid blood tests with an enlarged or lumpy gland (an underactive thyroid on its own, with a normal-feeling gland, usually does not need a scan)
- Follow-up of a known nodule or goitre, to check for any change in size or features
- A neck lymph node that stays enlarged for more than a few weeks, feels hard or keeps growing
- Swelling or pain under the jaw or in front of the ear, especially when eating
- Before thyroid surgery, or for neck check-ups after treatment for thyroid cancer
Go to a hospital emergency department first if you have difficulty breathing or noisy breathing, cannot swallow your saliva, or have a neck swelling that is growing fast or is painful with a high fever. The scan can follow.
Your report and what TI-RADS means
Each nodule's size, position and appearance are described and, where applicable, scored with ACR TI-RADS (Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System), a standard system published by the American College of Radiology. Points for five features (what the nodule is made of, how bright or dark it looks, its shape, its edges and any bright specks such as calcium) give a level between TR1 and TR5.
TI-RADS is a scoring system, not a diagnosis: it describes how a nodule looks, and only a sample can show what it is. Most thyroid nodules are harmless. Your doctor also weighs your symptoms, your history (such as earlier neck radiation or thyroid cancer in the family) and any abnormal lymph nodes. In a gland with several nodules, the report highlights the ones that matter most, which are not always the largest.
As a guide, the level and the nodule's size together suggest the next step; your doctor may advise differently:
- TR1 (benign) and TR2 (not suspicious): usually no needle test and no routine follow-up scan
- TR3 (mildly suspicious): FNAC usually advised at 2.5 cm or larger; follow-up scan at 1.5-2.4 cm
- TR4 (moderately suspicious): FNAC at 1.5 cm or larger; follow-up scan at 1-1.4 cm
- TR5 (highly suspicious): FNAC at 1 cm or larger; follow-up scan at 0.5-0.9 cm
- Nodules smaller than these sizes usually need no specific follow-up for that nodule
If an FNAC is advised
FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) uses a very thin needle, guided by live ultrasound, to draw cells from a nodule or lymph node for a pathologist to examine; thyroid results are reported using the Bethesda system. Occasionally the sample is not conclusive and needs repeating, or other tests are advised. If your doctor advises an FNAC, it can be done at AV Scan, and a same-day procedure is possible when needed. Tell us beforehand about any blood thinner, but do not stop it on your own; the doctor who prescribed it decides. See ultrasound-guided FNAC and biopsy for what to expect.
How to prepare
No preparation is needed. Our team confirms the exact preparation when you book on WhatsApp.
- Eat, drink and take your usual medicines, including thyroid tablets. If you are also giving blood for a thyroid test that day, ask your doctor whether to take the tablet after the sample, and mention any biotin (hair and nail) supplement, as it can upset thyroid blood test results.
- Wear clothes with a loose or open neckline, and no necklace.
- Bring your prescription and any earlier neck ultrasound (reports and images), thyroid blood and FNAC reports; comparing with an earlier scan often answers the key question.
What happens during the scan
You lie on your back with a pillow under your shoulders so your head tilts back a little; tell us if this is uncomfortable because of neck pain. The radiologist moves a small probe over gel on your neck and may ask you to swallow. It is painless, usually takes about 15-30 minutes, and you can return to normal activities straight afterwards.
Safety, blood tests and other tests
Ultrasound uses no radiation and no contrast, and is safe at any age, in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Thyroid blood tests (TSH or a thyroid panel) are done separately; samples can be given at our centre, often on the same visit: see blood tests.
If a CT of the neck is advised, tell us first if you are or might be pregnant. Contrast may be needed, for example to assess lumps or lymph nodes; a recent kidney function (creatinine) report may be requested (if you do not have one, the test can be done at the centre before the scan). Mention any allergy and any diabetes medicine such as metformin; we check your kidney function (eGFR) and advise you. Also tell us about an overactive thyroid or a planned radioactive iodine treatment or nuclear thyroid scan: the iodine in CT contrast can worsen an overactive thyroid and interfere with these for several weeks, so your doctor may choose a CT without contrast or a different timing. See CT scan for how to prepare.
Thyroid and neck ultrasound at AV Scan, Dadar West
Ground Floor (step-free entrance), Shilpa Apartment, Shankar Ghanekar Marg, Dadar West / Prabhadevi, Mumbai 400028, near Shivaji Park and Siddhivinayak Temple. Message us on WhatsApp, call +91 98200 51511 or book online.
- Performed and reported by our radiologists, Dr. Avinash Bansal and Dr. Vaishnavi Bansal, both MD (Radiology), FMF (UK) certified
- Ultrasound systems at the centre: GE Voluson E10 and Philips Affiniti 70G, with colour Doppler
- Ultrasound-guided FNAC and thyroid blood samples at the same centre
- Exact price confirmed on WhatsApp before your visit; cashless with most major insurers and TPAs; empanelled for CGHS, ECHS and MJPJAY
- Open Monday to Saturday 8am-10pm and Sunday 8am-5pm
