Are calcified tumors on the thyroid lobe considered cancer?
If you or your doctor has noticed a mass or tumor in your thyroid, one of the first tests that can be done on the mass is an ultrasound. This is an imaging study that uses sound waves in order to obtain the structural characteristics of the mass. It can provide information such as size, whether the mass is solid or cystic, and whether there are calcifications within the mass. The presence of calcification in the mass does not necessarily mean cancer: however, if there are areas of stippled calcification or microcalcification present, this could be suspicious for cancer. The next step would be to get a biopsy of the mass. Getting a piece of tissue from the thyroid is a much better way than an imaging study to see if there is cancer present.
