Differential diagnosis of goiter.
Goiters can be detected in about 5 per cent of school-aged children. Goiters appearing during childhood are the result of distinct diseases and should be investigated rather than attributed to "physiologic hyperplasia." The etiology of the diffuse goiter can often be established by clinical evaluation, performing thyroid function tests, and measurement of serum thyroid antibodies. Unlike diffuse goiters, thyroid nodules frequently require tissue examination to exclude malignancy. The goal in evaluating children with nodular goiters is to be as selective as possible in submitting children to surgery without missing cases of cancer. The decision to perform an open biopsy should be based on detecting increased risk for cancer in the medical history, physical examination, or laboratory tests as outlined in Figure 1. Ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration of nodules are two new methods that aid in the selection of patients for surgery or a trial of thyroid hormone suppression.
Mahoney
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CP
D000293:Adolescent; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis