Examination of the Thyroid

Basic anatomy of the thyroid: The thyroid gland is located in the anterior neck. It lies inferior to the laryngeal prominence of the thyroid cartilage and anterior to the larynx and trachea. It is composed of two lobes measuring approximately 4 cm that are joined together by a narrow isthmus in the midline at the level of the 2nd to 4th tracheal rings. The function of the thyroid gland is to produce triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and calcitonin which play an important role in regulating metabolism.