Safety & Feasibility of Ultrasound-assisted Non-invasive Measurement of Compressibility of the Thyroid Gland in Patients Scheduled for Surgical Removal

Launched by INSEL GRUPPE AG, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BERN · Jul 31, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new, non-invasive way to measure how soft or hard the thyroid gland is using ultrasound technology. The thyroid is a small gland in your neck that helps control hormones, and sometimes it develops lumps called nodules. Most nodules are harmless, but some can be cancerous. Right now, doctors use a needle test to check for cancer, but this test isn’t always clear. This study wants to see if measuring how much the thyroid tissue compresses (or how firm it is) can help predict if the nodule is cancerous before surgery.

The trial is for adults with a specific type of thyroid nodule diagnosis (called Bethesda IV) who are already scheduled to have surgery to remove the nodule. Participants will have this new ultrasound measurement done before their surgery to see if it can help better identify cancer. To join, you need to be over 18, have a thyroid nodule with this particular diagnosis, and be planning surgery. People who are pregnant, have very high body weight, or have skin problems where the test is done cannot take part. If you join, you can expect a simple, painless ultrasound test that doesn’t involve needles or cutting. This study aims to improve how doctors decide who really needs surgery, potentially avoiding unnecessary operations in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients older than 18 years
• • Patients with a thyroid node
• • Patients with a Bethesda IV cytopathological diagnosis of this node
• • Informed consent documented by signature
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Non-intact skin at the measurement site
• • BMI\>35kg/m2
• • Patients unable to provide informed consent
• • Pregnant or breastfeeding women