Prediction of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Invasion in Thyroid Cancer by Ultrasound

Abstract

Assessing recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion is crucial for the accurate staging of thyroid cancer. This, in turn, determines the extent of surgery or whether active surveillance is appropriate. Ultrasonography is useful in diagnosing extrathyroidal extension to adjacent structures. However, preoperative ultrasound cannot definitely exclude recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion or identify the entire course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the thyroid gland. Therefore, it is important to understand the ultrasound features that are most likely to be associated with the gross involvement of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.

Keywords

• ultrasonography
• recurrent laryngeal nerve
• neoplasm invasion