
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This trial is looking at a new ultrasound method called real time ultrasound elastography, to see if it helps show whether lumps in the thyroid gland are cancerous or not.
Lumps in the are called nodules. Thyroid nodules are very common, but only about 1 in 20 thyroid nodules are thyroid cancer.
If you have a thyroid nodule, you may have an ultrasound scan. During the scan, the doctor can put a needle into the nodule to remove some cells. This is called a needle biopsy.
When you have a needle biopsy, the cells are looked at under a microscope to see if they are cancerous or not. But sometimes it is difficult to be sure, so you may need to have another biopsy. And for some people the only way to make sure is to have surgery to remove the nodules.
In this trial, researchers are looking at new ultrasound method called real time ultrasound elastography or RTE. Elastography looks at the firmness of the thyroid nodule. If a nodule is hard, it is more likely to be cancerous. If a lump is soft, it is more likely to be non cancerous (benign). Having elastography as well as an ultrasound guided needle biopsy may make the test more accurate.
The aim of the trial is to see if RTE and a needle biopsy is better at showing when a nodule isn’t cancerous than a standard ultrasound scan and needle biopsy. This will hopefully reduce the time it takes to reach a final diagnosis.
You may be able to join this trial if all of the following apply. You
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply.
This is a randomised trial. The people taking part are put into 1 of 2 groups by a computer. Neither you nor your doctor will be able to decide which group you are in.
Half the people taking part have an ultrasound scan and needle biopsy. This is the standard way of testing thyroid nodules.
The other half will have real time ultrasound elastography (RTE) and needle biopsy.
Whichever group you are in, the trial team will ask your permission to take a blood sample for research.
The trial team will ask you to fill in a questionnaire before you have your ultrasound then after your 1st ultrasound at
The questionnaire will ask about side effects and how you’ve been feeling. This is called a quality of life study.
You have the ultrasound scan and needle biopsy as an outpatient. It takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
The trial team will ask to see some people again 3 months and a year later.
You may feel a sting when the biopsy needle is inserted.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Professor Hisham Mehanna
NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
University of Birmingham
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”