DEFINITE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THYROIDAL INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS AND OTHER SOFT-TISSUE INFLAMMATIONS OF THE NECK USING ULTRASOUND

Thyroid and non-thyroid inflammations are acute conditions accompanied by severe pain. It is impossible for general practitioners who:have t o refer patients to various outpatients department or specialised hosp itals to distinguish between these conditions, even with the help of m edical history, palpation and findings of labaratory investigations. T herefore, patients are often falsely reffered to nuclear medicine or E NT outpatient departments. With the help of ultrasound a definite dist inction between inflammatory conditions of the thyroid and other soft tissue inflammations of the neck can be established.