Which feature best indicates a thyroid origin for a neck lump?

• A. Moves with swallowing
• B. Tender to palpation
• C. Fixed to skin
• D. Associated lymphadenopathy

Answer: (A)

Movement with swallowing is the best indicator because the thyroid gland moves upward as the larynx and pharynx elevate during swallowing. A neck lump that tracks with this motion is likely thyroid tissue rather than a skin lesion or a lymph node. Tenderness can occur with thyroiditis but isn’t specific to thyroid origin, fixation to the skin points toward a superficial lesion, and lymphadenopathy suggests nodal disease rather than the thyroid itself.