Experience in thyroid scintigraphy with Ethiopian patients

One thousand and thirty-seven thyroid scintigraphy examinations done in the Nuclear Medicine Unit of Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia between December 1984 and September 1989 were analyzed to assess their diagnostic value. Thirty-one percent of the referrals were to investigate clinically detectable solitary nodules, and of these fifty-six percent had "cold" nodules and twenty-three percent "hot" nodules. Fifty-five percent of the referrals for evaluation of goitre were for multinodular goitres and twelve percent for diffuse. Thirteen of fifty-three cases with suspected ectopic thyroid tissue were positive. Little useful information was obtained in the evaluation of goitre. It is concluded that thyroid scintigraphy was an unnecessary investigation in the evaluation of goitres in euthyroid patients. Its primary role was in the investigation of the solitary nodule, ectopic thyroid tissue and the retrosternal goitre. Therefore, only selected patients should be investigated with thyroid scintigraphy.