Gender, Clinical Findings, and Serum Thyrotropin Measurements in the Prediction of Thyroid Neoplasia in 1005 Patients Presenting with Thyroid Enlargement and Investigated by Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology

Abstract

One thousand five euthyroid patients (870 females and 135 males, mean age 47 years), who presented with thyroid enlargement were evaluated by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid as the first-line investigation. The final cytological or histological diagnosis was determined after surgery (n = 312) or clinical follow-up for a minimum period of 2 years (range 2-14 years, mean 6.7 years). Goiter type was assessed clinically and was classified as diffuse in 147, multinodular in 247, or solitary nodule in 611. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the procedure in the detection of thyroid neoplasia was 88% and 89%, respectively. Males who presented with thyroid enlargement had significantly higher rates of malignancy (p = 0.007) and neoplasia (benign + malignant) (p = 0.002) than females, as did subjects with solitary nodule compared with diffuse or multinodular goiters (malignancy p = 0.001, neoplasia p < 0.001). Subjects with normal thyrotropin (TSH) (>0.4 mU/L) at presentation had a nonsignificantly increased risk of thyroid neoplasia (p = 0.07) and malignancy, in contrast to those with low TSH (<0.4 mU/L). We confirmed FNAC of the thyroid to be an accurate test in the detection of thyroid neoplasia. Gender and goiter type at presentation both contribute significantly to the prediction of the diagnosis of thyroid neoplasia.