contribution to the study of the diagnosis and management of the solitary thyroid nodule

ABSTRACT

Forty nine patients with a solitary nodule of the thyroid gland were clinically examined, investigated and managed surgically. Investigations included laboratory serum estimations, fine needle aspiration biopsy, thyroid ultrasonography and scanning as well as histopathological examination of a surgical specimen. The diagnostic role of clinical examination and the investigations carried out was discussed. It was found that the only reliable diagnostic tool to achieve a definite diagnosis and to differentiate accurately between benign and malignant solitary thyroid nodules has been the histopathological examination. This study showed that surgical excision should be the recommended practice for all solitary thyroid nodules