Malignancy in a Solitary Thyroid Nodule: A Retrospective Histopathological Evaluation

Objective: This study aimed to assess the presence and type of malignancy in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for solitary thyroid nodules.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of the case notes of all adult patients with solitary thyroid nodules who underwent thyroid surgery from 1 January 2019 to 31 October 2022. All patients had solitary thyroid nodules identified by ultrasonography. The electronic records of our pathology department were used to determine the pathological diagnosis.

Results: Forty-two patients with solitary thyroid nodules underwent thyroid surgery. The mean age at presentation was 39.1 ± 12.6 years, and 76.2% of patients were female. The malignancy rate was 31%. Further histopathological analysis found that malignant solitary thyroid nodules were mostly papillary carcinoma.

Conclusion: This study indicates that solitary thyroid nodules should be evaluated thoroughly and treated with a high index of suspicion because they have a high chance (31%) of being malignant.