Publication:

Clinicopathological evaluation of thyroid incidentaloma: a prospective study

Background Incidental thyroid nodules are typically non-palpable thyroid nodules found during radiographic evaluation for a non-thyroid related issue (USG neck, CT scan, PET scan, carotid duplex).The prevalence of thyroid incidentalomas ranges from 1.6% to 67% based on radiographic modality of detection. The rate of malignancy in incidental thyroid nodule can again quite variable based on how it was discovered and range from 4% to 50%. (The overall risk is approximately 15%).

Methods A prospective study was carried out in 100 patients. Discovery of a thyroid nodule by imaging investigations in individuals, who are asymptomatic for thyroid disease, was done in the study. FNAC of the nodule is done to know the pathology.

Results Incidence of thyroid incidentaloma was found to be 9%. In 40 patients who underwent carotid doppler the incidence was found to be 10%. In 50 patients who underwent USG neck, the incidence was found to be 10%. There was no incidentaloma detected in CT done in the 10 patients observed in this study. 9 patients with thyroid incidentalomas out of which 7 patients diagnosed benign lesion and 2 patients diagnosed with malignancy.

Conclusions Incidence of thyroid incidentaloma in our study is comparable to worldwide statistics. The incidence of incidentaloma (9%) and malignant pathology (22.2%) picked up in incidentalomas in our study is going in favour of advocating screening programme in our population (>50 years). USG neck appears to be most suitable investigation for screening.