Clinico Pathological Analysis of Nodular Goiter: A Retrospective Study

Author(s): Talukder MIH, Naher N, Karim SMR, Hasan KM, Khan SI, Rahman AKMS

This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the clinico-pathological pattern of nodular goiter among patients who underwent thyroidectomy. This study included 50 patients following selection criteria. All patients were properly evaluated by history, clinical examination along with blood chemistry, ultrasonography, nuclear scanning and histopathology [fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)]. Out of 50 patients 38 were females and 12 were males, the male to female ratio was 1:3.12. Majority of the patients belonged to the age group of 25-40 years. Most of them were in euthyroid state. Among the study patients; tiredness, palpitation, breathing difficulties, swallowing problem, altered appetite and cold preference were the major presenting features. Solitary nodules (60%) were more frequent than multi-nodular goiter (40%). Among the 20 patients having multi-nodular goiter; 18 were nontoxic goiter and 2 cases were diagnosed as carcinoma. On the other hand in 30 patients with solitary nodule; 27 cases were simple nodule and rest 3 cases were carcinoma. Among total study patients 46 were cold nodules and 4 were warm nodules. Histopathological reports of excised tissues revealed that 45 cases were papillary adenoma, 3 cases were papillary carcinoma and 2 cases were follicular carcinoma. The study concluded that solitary thyroid nodules are frequent at the middle age and predominant among females. Most of the patients of thyroid goiter are in euthyroid state and majority of nodules are benign lesions. Papillary adenoma is the most frequent benign nodular tumor followed by papillary carcinoma and then follicular carcinoma.