title: Risk of neoplasia and malignancy in "dominant" thyroid swellings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the risk of neoplasia and malignancy in "dominant" thyroid swellings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective analysis during six years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thyroid clinic serving the Grampian region.
  
  
  METHODS
  574 consecutive patients presenting with a discrete thyroid swelling, of whom 179 (31%) were classified clinically as having a dominant area of enlargement within a multinodular gland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After clinical and cytological assessment 77 dominant swellings were excised. Of the excised swellings, 45 were non-neoplastic and 32 neoplastic, including 11 malignant lesions. The minimum incidence of neoplasia and malignancy in all 179 dominant swellings was therefore 18% and 6% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dominant thyroid swellings should be regarded with greater clinical suspicion than has been traditional.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Aberdeen.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Cusick
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Krukowski
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: MacIntosh
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Matheson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*