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Analysis of 105 uninodular goitres.
R D Bapat1, S H Shah, R G Relekar
1Dept of Surgery, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Parel, Bombay, Maharashtra.
Journal of Postgraduate Medicine
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Investigating solitary thyroid nodules requires accurate methods. Combining radionuclide thyroid scans and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) improves malignancy detection while reducing unnecessary surgeries.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Solitary thyroid nodules are common, with a small percentage being malignant.
- Accurate diagnostic tools are crucial to differentiate benign from malignant nodules and guide treatment decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic performance of 131I radionuclide thyroid scans and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in solitary thyroid nodules.
- To determine the optimal diagnostic strategy for solitary thyroid nodules to avoid unnecessary surgeries while ensuring malignancy detection.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 105 patients with solitary thyroid nodules.
- Comparison of histopathology results with findings from radionuclide thyroid scans (n=90) and FNAC (n=65).
- Calculation of sensitivity and specificity for each diagnostic modality.
Main Results:
- Six (5.7%) of the nodules were malignant (4 papillary, 2 follicular).
- Radionuclide thyroid scan demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 24% specificity.
- FNAC showed 75% sensitivity and 100% specificity.
Conclusions:
- FNAC is highly specific for diagnosing solitary thyroid nodules.
- Radionuclide thyroid scans offer high sensitivity but low specificity.
- Combining radionuclide thyroid scans and FNAC is recommended for the effective investigation of solitary thyroid nodules, balancing diagnostic accuracy and surgical necessity.