The relationship between thyroid volume and thyroid cytopathology

• Main Authors: Davor Kust, Neven Mateša, Zvonko Kusić
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: VBZ 2016-03-01
• Series: Endocrine Oncology and Metabolism
• Subjects: thyroid volume; thyroid cancer; thyroiditis; nodular goiter; cytology; thyroid volume; thyroid cancer; thyroiditis; nodular goiter; cytology; thyroid cancer; thyroiditis; nodular goiter; cytology
• Online Access: http://eom.hdeo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/vol2-iss1-2Kust.pdf

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of thyroiditis, nodular goiter, and thyroid cancer in small, normal, and large thyroids. Methods: Thyroid volume (TV) was measured by ultrasonography (US) in 583 adults and TV was divided into 3 groups: small (volume 40 ml). All patients underwent US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and cytological diagnoses were divided into 6 groups: thyroiditis, nodular goiter, nodular goiter and thyroiditis, indeterminate, malignant, and inadequate. Results: In small thyroids (N=93), there were 42 (45%) diagnoses of thyroiditis, 42 (45%) diagnoses of nodular goiter, and one diagnosis (1%) of papillary carcinoma. In normal thyroids (N=101), there were 16 (16%) diagnoses of thyroiditis, 68 (67%) diagnoses of nodular goiter, and 4 (4%) diagnoses of papillary carcinoma. In large thyroids (N=389) there were 46 (12%) diagnoses of thyroiditis, 306 (79%) diagnoses of nodular goiter, and 8 (2%) diagnoses of thyroid carcinoma (6 papillary and 2 anaplastic). There was a statistically significant (p<0.01) relationship between TV and prevalence of thyroiditis and nodular goiter. Thyroiditis was more common among patients with small thyroids, and nodular goiter among those with large thyroids. There was no statistically significant (p>0.05) relationship between TV and cytological diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma. Conclusions: Our results show a high prevalence of cytological diagnoses of thyroiditis in small thyroids, a high prevalence of cytological diagnoses of nodular goiter in large thyroids, and no relationship between TV and the cytological diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma.