The role of ultrasound scanning in the diagnosis of thyroid swellings.

This study has determined the ability of grey scale ultrasound to assess if a thyroid is normal or abnormal, if the appearances of the gland are specific for one disease and if the probability of malignancy can be determined. One hundred patients were studied, 65 with histologically confirmed diagnoses. It was found that the normal gland was distinguished from the abnormal with 99 per cent accuracy, simple cysts were diagnosed with 100 per cent accuracy and a specific disease diagnosis was given with 84 per cent accuracy. It was correctly stated in 87 patients that the disease was definitely benign, but in the remaining 12 patients (3 with cancer) it was stated that malignancy could not be excluded.