Thyroid enlargement / thyroid nodules
Emergency referrals
Phone on call Diabetic and Endocrinology Registrar via:
- Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital switch - (07) 3646 8111
- The Prince Charles Hospital switch - (07) 3139 4000
- Redcliffe Hospital switch – (07) 3883 7777
- Caboolture Hospital switch – (07) 5433 8888
and send patient to the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) at their nearest hospital.
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- In the setting of abnormal thyroid function.
- The following conditions are to be referred if accompanied with normal thyroid function:
- unexplained hoarseness or voice changes associated with a goitre
- goitre associated with symptomatic airway narrowing
- cervical lymphadenopathy associated with a thyroid mass (usually deep cervical or supraclavicular region)
- a rapidly enlarging thyroid mass over a period of weeks (a rare presentation of thyroid cancer and usually associated with anaplastic thyroid cancer or thyroid lymphoma)
- lymphadenopathy
- stridor, venous congestion on elevation of upper limbs
- dominant nodule >4cm in size
- abnormal cytology
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- Diffuse goitre, multi-nodular goitre or solitary nodule (<4cm in size)
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- No category 3 criteria
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other important information for referring practitioners
Not an exhaustive list
- Refer to local Healthpathways
- Nodules suspicious of cancer refer to surgery
- Thyroid nodules may not require further investigation if:
- thyroid function is normal and no local symptoms and likelihood of thyroid cancer is low (nodule <10mm)
- age, comorbidities or other patient characteristics make diagnosis of thyroid cancer irrelevant
- If a nodule is detected on USS, the report should include the TI-RAD score of the nodules and recommended follow up. If this is not stated in the report, then it is recommended to discuss with reporting radiologist.
- Clinical resources
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.