Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Thyroid Masses with Pathologic Correlation

Abstract

Introduction: Thyroid gland is easily accessible to both clinical and radiological examinations. The thyroid
masses must be diagnosed and managed as early as possible to rule out malignancy. Thyroid masses are
typically found on physical examination or incidentally when other imaging studies are performed.
Objectives: Evaluation of the clinical profile of thyroid masses with ultrasonography (UGC) of the patient
having thyroid lesions with pathologic correlation.
Materials and Method: This prospective study was a cross-sectional descriptive one, which was conducted
over the 50 subjects with thyroid masses detected on USG, were further evaluated with Fine-needle
Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) and Histopathological Examination (HPE). The USG features such as internal
composition, echotexture, shape, margins, presence or absence of peripheral halo, calcification and internal
vascularity were correlated with the final diagnosis. The collected data were subjected to a statistical analysis
which was performed using a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0.
Descriptive statistical method were computed, and the statistical significance was tested by chi-square test
and student’s t-test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical clearance was
taken from ethics committee (H).
Results: In USG diagnosis, goitre is the most common benign lesion in 63% followed by benign cyst 16%.
Follicular carcinoma, medullary carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma 1 case of each variety was also
detected at USG. Cytological examination of 50 cases, 44 (88%) cases revealed benign nature of thyroid
swelling and 6 (12%) cases as malignant. The malignant thyroid cases diagnosed clinically and cytologically.
Conclusion: USG and FNAC with HPE are the primary diagnostic modalities a surgeon utilizes to determine
the extent of thyroid surgery.