A practical approach to the common diagnostic dilemmas encountered in ultrasound examination for thyroiditis
Sally Daniels, Sofia Otero, Imaging, UCLH, London
Thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid gland (1) and it is a common presentation in a busy head and neck ultrasound clinic. While there are some typical ultrasound appearances that point to a particular type of thyroiditis, there is a level of overlap and contradiction that can generate confusion. In order to use the ultrasound findings to guide diagnosis it is important to consider imaging appearances alongside the clinical context.
This poster will aim to provide a collective overview of the different types of thyroiditis, incorporating clinical features, signs and symptoms and typical ultrasound appearances, with a view to providing a practical and unambiguous approach to formulating an ultrasound report and diagnostic conclusion that positively assists the referring clinician.
There is room for a small introductory section that discusses the categories of thyroiditis including some of the physiological mechanisms of how these processes manifest themselves.
There will be a pictorial section illustrating the various ultrasound appearances that when correlated with hormone and antibody profiles and patient signs and symptoms can direct the ultrasound practitioner towards the categorisation/identification of the type of thyroiditis presenting in the patient.
A flow chart will be developed that assists the ultrasound practitioner in arriving at their diagnostic conclusion. Optimal report terminology can then be discussed that provides the referring clinician with a useful adage to the array of results used for patient consultation.