Examination of the Thyroid - Clinical Examination

The thyroid gland lies in the midline of the anterior neck, just caudal to the thyroid cartilage. To inspect the thyroid gland, the examiner stands in front of the patient. The examiner asks the seated patient to dorsiflex (extend) the neck and swallow a sip of water. Minor enlargement of the gland may only become apparent on inspection in this position. Palpation of the thyroid gland is typically performed with the examiner standing behind the patient. Both lobes and the isthmus of the thyroid gland should be palpated for any nodules or diffuse enlargement. Mobility of the thyroid gland with swallowing should be assessed with palpation. Nodules arising from the thyroid gland typically move with swallowing. A hard, fixed thyroid gland could indicate malignancy. If a central nodule is identified, the patient is asked to protrude the tongue. Upward movement of the central nodule on protrusion of the tongue indicates a thyroglossal cyst. Auscultation is performed at the superior poles of bilateral lobes as this is where the superior thyroid artery is most superficial and bifurcates into its terminal branches. A bilateral bruit over the superior poles suggests Graves disease. Examination of the thyroid gland is completed by palpating the regional cervical lymph nodes for any enlargement.

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