[Surgical intervention in cold nodules of the thyroid gland (author's transl)].

In statistical analyses the rate of malignancy of solitary cold thyroid nodules is estimated between 3 to 50%. In our records the incidence of malignancy is 6,6%. Concerning the pathogenicity of these thyroid nodules no conclusions can be drawn which are only based on the results of such analyses. Each thyroid nodule has to be classified either according to its clinical and morphological characteristics or to its morphology alone. The condition for an optimal diagnosis and therapy is provided by the surgeon and pathologist being acquainted with the criteria for morphological classification or clinical data respectively.