Problems of cancer diagnosis in thyroid nodules

During a ten-year period from 1977 to 1986 75 thyroid malignancies were found. The most common carcinomas were papillary (43%), follicular (39%) and anaplastic forms (7%). All 66 thyroids imaged with 99mTc-pertechnetate showed at least one cold nodule. Two or more cold nodules were seen in 52% of thyroids. In 63 of 66 cases the carcinoma was located in a cold nodule. The location of the carcinoma was not possible to find out accurately in the remaining three cases. 40% of frozen sections obtained at surgery showed benign and 60% malignant finding. Fine needle aspiration biopsy showed benign finding in 10 of 20 patients, suspicious for malignancy in 6 and malignant finding only in 4 cases.