The role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in thyroid cancer is still debatable. The primary goals of SLNB are to facilitate accurate identification of lymph node (LN) metastasis without formal lymphadenoectomy to reduce morbidity associated with LN dissection. SLN in thyroid cancer can be identified using either vital blue dye, radioactive tracer, or a combination of these methods. Here, 26 selected studies of SLNB for thyroid cancer are analyzed and reviewed. For the vital blue dye, radioisotope, and combined methods, the overall sentinel node identification rates (SNIRs) were 84.0, 98.4 and 97.9%, the overall sensitivities were 86.1, 66.7 and 90.7% and the overall false negative rates were 11.4, 16.3, and 11.4%, respectively. The combined blue dye and radioisotope method had superior SNIRs, sensitivities, and false negative rates than the single vital blue dye technique. New tracers such as carbon nanoparticles can be used in SLNB. Lateral compartment SLNB studies employing a radioisotope technique can be useful for evaluation of the occult lateral neck LN status in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), especially in cases of central neck node metastasis. Lateral SLNB may also provide useful information for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) treatment.