Thyroid Scans in Michigan

Women are more likely to develop thyroid disorders than men are. Is something telling you may be having thyroid problems?

We perform Thyroid Scans at the Millennium Medical Group West Livonia Location

What is the Thyroid Gland?

The thyroid gland is a small gland located at the base of your neck below the Adam’s apple. The purpose of the thyroid gland is to produce two hormones; T3 and T4. These hormones control the rate of many activities in the body, like how fast your heart beats and how fast you burn calories. Also known as your metabolism.

Symptoms:

  • Thyroid Nodule; swelling in a section of the thyroid gland. 
  • Swelling of the thyroid gland.
  • Hyperthyroidism; overactive thyroid
    • unusual weight loss
    • irregular heartbeat
    • anxiety
    • irritability
    • trouble sleeping
    • muscle weakness
    • overactive sweating
    • trembling in hands
  • Hypothyroidism; underactive thyroid
    • unusual weight gain
    • increased sensitivity to cold
    • joint or muscle pain and weakness
    • depression
    • fatigue
    • hoarse voice
    • puffy face

The Scan

Our thyroid scans use a special camera and a radioactive tracer that is either iodine or technetium to measure how much of the tracers in the blood is absorbed by the thyroid gland.

How It Works

1. tracers travel through your body, giving off radiation signals
2. the camera senses the signals
3. the camera takes pictures of the thyroid gland from three different angles.
4. the camera measures how much tracer is absorbed

See the Thyroid Gland
See the Thyroid Gland

The pictures of the scan help doctors to look at the structure of the thyroid and assess how it is working. It shows the size, shape and location of the thyroid gland.  It can also find areas of the gland that is over (hyperthyroidism) or under (hypothyroidism) active.

The tracer can get into your bloodstream two ways;
– being swallowed
– injected into the vein.

Preparation for the Thyroid Scan

Before the scan, in some cases, we have to test the blood to measure the number of thyroid hormones that are in your blood.

On the day of the test to prepare we ask;

  • Do not eat for two hours before the test.
  • 5 to 7 days before the test do not take any anti-thyroid medications

Even though it is more common for women to develop thyroid disorders thyroid scans are for everyone. If you or a loved one have any of the symptoms listed above make sure you contact our Livonia office at 248-474-2220 for early detection thyroid scans in Michigan.