As a lymph node tracer, carbon nanoparticles suspension has the advantages of high dyeing rate, long dyeing time, clear tracing and low false negative rate as well as negative development of parathyroid glands, which may be helpful for thorough lymph node dissection and parathyroid gland protection during surgery. So, it has been increasingly applied in thyroid cancer surgery. Here, the authors address the progress of using carbon nanoparticles suspension in surgical resection for papillary thyroid carcinoma.