Thyroid Cancer Precision Diagnosis
At Fosun Health, diagnosis is not just about “finding cancer” — it is about mapping every detail of your thyroid nodule to design the most precise treatment plan. Our streamlined diagnostic pathway delivers answers within days, not weeks:
A painless, no radiation scan that evaluates the nodule‘s size, shape, margins, echogenicity, calcifications, and blood flow. Using the TI RADS (Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System) score, we stratify the risk of malignancy.
Under ultrasound guidance, a very thin needle (smaller than a blood draw needle) is inserted into the nodule to extract a few cells. The procedure takes minutes, causes minimal discomfort, and provides a definitive cytological diagnosis — the gold standard.
If FNA results are indeterminate (Bethesda III/IV), we perform next generation sequencing (NGS) on the FNA sample to detect mutations (BRAF V600E, RAS, RET/PTC, PAX8/PPARγ, etc.). This can rule in or rule out cancer with high accuracy, avoiding unnecessary surgery.
- Neck CT or MRI: For large or invasive tumors to assess extension into the trachea, esophagus, or surrounding muscles.
- Chest CT: To detect lung metastases (most common distant site for thyroid cancer).
- Laryngoscopy: To check vocal cord function if hoarseness is present.
- Thyroid function (TSH, FT4, FT3): Baseline before any treatment.
- Tumor markers: Calcitonin and CEA for medullary thyroid cancer; thyroglobulin for follow-up after surgery.
