To make an appointment to see a thyroid specialist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, please call 800-789-7366 (PENN).
Patients who come to the Penn Thyroid Center for treatment of their thyroid disorders, receive highly specialized care from leaders in thyroid care and research.
Patients who have appointments to see a Penn thyroid specialist should have:
- A referral from a primary care physician, if applicable
- Copies of the most recent lab work and image tests
- List of current medications and dosage amounts
- Insurance ID cards
- Co-payment, if applicable
Appointments at the Penn Thyroid Nodule Clinic
If a referring physician has recommended an evaluation at the Penn thyroid nodule clinic for possible growths (nodules) on your thyroid, please refer to the following instructions.
How to schedule an appointment at the thyroid nodule clinic
To schedule an appointment at the thyroid nodule clinic, please fax the following to Susan Mandel, MD c/o Rashawnda Sillah at 215-614-0418.
- Name
- Contact information including phone number and address
- Copy of most recent thyroid function blood test results
- Thyroid ultrasound report
Your information will be reviewed by Dr. Mandel to determine if you are a candidate for evaluation at the thyroid nodule clinic.
You will receive a phone call within 7 business days with more information.
Preparing for your appointment at the thyroid nodule clinic
Your visit will be in the ultrasound section of the radiology department located at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Please note this visit is not in the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.
After your appointment is scheduled, you will receive a letter with detailed information about your visit, referrals needed for your visit and how to prepare for your visit.
For your appointment, please bring any medical records that pertain to this with you for your visit. This includes:
- Images from any thyroid ultrasound
- Images from nuclear medicine scans
- Copy of most recent thyroid function blood test results
Also, please be sure to bring:
- All referrals
- Copies of the most recent lab work, image tests
- List of current medications and dosage amounts
- Insurance ID cards
- Co-payment, if applicable
What to expect during a thyroid ultrasound
A Penn ultrasound staff member performs thyroid ultrasounds.
This ultrasound scan will be evaluated by Susan Mandel, MD, director of clinical endocrinology and diabetes, or Caroline Kim, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine. Dr. Mandel or Dr. Kim will determine if a thyroid biopsy is needed.
What to expect during a thyroid biopsy
A thyroid biopsy can determine if cancer cells are present in the thyroid.
A thyroid biopsy uses a very thin needle (thinner than the one used to take blood for blood tests) to sample some of the cells from the thyroid nodule.
There are no special preparations for this biopsy. You may eat beforehand and you may drive afterwards. You may also bring a support person to be there with you during the procedure. Your support person may be present in the room while you have your evaluation and possible biopsy.
Rescheduling or cancelling an appointment
If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment, please call 215-662-2300.