Malignancy in a Solitary Thyroid Nodule: A Retrospective Histopathological Evaluation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the presence and type of malignancy in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for solitary thyroid nodules.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of the case notes of all adult patients with solitary thyroid nodules who underwent thyroid surgery from 1 January 2019 to 31 October 2022. All patients had solitary thyroid nodules identified by ultrasonography. The electronic records of our pathology department were used to determine the pathological diagnosis.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients with solitary thyroid nodules underwent thyroid surgery. The mean age at presentation was 39.1 ± 12.6 years, and 76.2% of patients were female. The malignancy rate was 31%. Further histopathological analysis found that malignant solitary thyroid nodules were mostly papillary carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that solitary thyroid nodules should be evaluated thoroughly and treated with a high index of suspicion because they have a high chance (31%) of being malignant.