Focus on Benign Thyroid Disease: From Thyroid Nodule to Hyperthyroidism and Immune Disease

This two-day interactive course provides a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and management of benign thyroid diseases. It covers the entire clinical pathway, from thyroid physiology and the evaluation of thyroid nodules to hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and treatment-related thyroid dysfunction. Participants will gain practical knowledge on the use of neck ultrasound, thyroid scintigraphy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy, cytology, and the emerging role of PET imaging in selected clinical scenarios. The course also addresses evidence-based management strategies according to current international guidelines, including radioactive iodine therapy for hyperthyroidism and the management of Graves’ disease, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, immune-mediated thyroid disorders, and thyroid dysfunction induced by modern cancer therapies. The programme combines state-of-the-art lectures with interactive case discussions, image interpretation sessions, and quizzes, providing participants with practical skills that can be directly implemented in daily clinical practice.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Integrate multidisciplinary clinical and imaging findings into patient-centred decision-making through interactive case discussions.

• Describe the physiology and pathophysiology of thyroid function and benign thyroid diseases. 

• Perform a structured diagnostic work-up of patients with thyroid nodules and diffuse thyroid disease. 

• Interpret thyroid ultrasound findings and apply current ultrasound risk stratification systems. 

• Understand the indications, techniques, and interpretation of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and thyroid cytology classifications.

• Select the appropriate nuclear medicine imaging modality, including thyroid scintigraphy, MIBI imaging, and the potential role of PET in selected thyroid disorders. 

• Apply current international guidelines for the management of thyroid nodules. 

• Develop evidence-based treatment strategies for hyperthyroidism, including patient selection for radioactive iodine therapy.

• Recognize and manage Graves’ disease, thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and treatment-related thyroid dysfunction. 

Nuclear medicine specialists and physicians in training, endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, all physicians, including surgeons, with a particular interest in thyroid disorders.