Clinicopathological and Radiological Study of Thyroid Swelling

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pathology
• Oncology

Background:

• Thyroid swelling is a common endocrine disorder affecting all age groups.
• Diagnostic tools like Ultrasound (USG) and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) aid in differentiating thyroid lesions.
• Histopathology (HPE) remains the gold standard for definitive diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of various pathological conditions in midline thyroid swellings.
• To conduct clinicopathological and radiological examinations of thyroid swellings.
• To correlate diagnostic findings with final histopathological results.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study of 50 patients with midline thyroid swellings from October 2016 to April 2018.
• Informed written consent, clinical examination, radiological assessment (USG neck), cytological evaluation (FNAC), and postoperative histopathological examination (HPE) were performed.
• Data analysis included age, sex, geographic background, swelling location, and lesion type.

Main Results:

• The most affected age group was 31-40 years (34%), with a female predominance (7.3:1 ratio).
• Non-neoplastic lesions were more common (72% on HPE), with colloid goiter being the most frequent benign finding (58%).
• Papillary carcinoma was the most common malignant neoplasm (8%), identified through HPE.

Conclusions:

• Midline thyroid swellings predominantly affect middle-aged women.
• Colloid goiter is the most common benign thyroid swelling, and papillary carcinoma is the most common malignant thyroid swelling.
• A combination of clinical, radiological, and cytological assessments, with HPE as the gold standard, is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.