WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Ali Abdul Karim Salman and Karim Shalan Alaraji

ABSTRACT

Background: Current guidelines recommend evaluation of solitary thyroid nodule (STN) to exclude thyroid malignancy. Historically, all investigations have them inherit limitations. The aim of this study is to evaluate these methods and their values in diagnosing thyroid cancer among STN. Patients and Methods: A prospective study comprises cases of STN during three years period from January 2013 to January 2016. Each patient was evaluated with clinical examination, thyroid function tests, thyroid ultrasound examination, and fine needle aspiration (FNA) and the results were compared with operative and biopsy findings. Results: The study included 35 patients, 42 Females and 11 males, with a female to male ratio of about 4:1, the right lobe was about two times more frequently involved than the left (34:19). The highest incidence of females (59%) occurred in the early age groups (10-30 years) compared with low incidence of males in this age groups. The male to female ratio approximate towards the old age groups. Carcinoma was diagnosed in 4 cases (7.6%) only. The peak incidence of carcinoma in solitary nodules was in third decade. Conclusions: The incidence of thyroid carcinoma in this study was 4 cases.