Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose Hurthle cell cancer include:

• Physical exam. Your doctor will examine your neck, checking the size of your thyroid and seeing whether your lymph nodes are swollen.
• Blood tests. Blood tests may reveal abnormalities in your thyroid function that give your doctor more information about your condition.
• Imaging tests. Imaging tests, including ultrasound and CT, can help your doctor determine whether an abnormal growth is present in the thyroid.
• Removing a sample of thyroid tissue for testing (biopsy). During a thyroid biopsy, a fine needle is passed through the skin of your neck guided by ultrasound images. The needle is attached to a syringe, which withdraws a sample of thyroid tissue. The sample is analyzed in a laboratory for signs of cancer.