title: Prediction of malignancy in solitary thyroid nodules: value of preoperative explorations.
abstract: The thyroid nodule is a topic in clinical medicine which remains controversial because any thyroid disease can virtually turn up a thyroid nodule. The reliability of the diagnostic techniques for making the distinction between a benign and a malignant lesion varies. The various techniques for the assessment of a solitary nonfunctional thyroid nodule are described and their comparative values in establishing the nature of the nodule, identifying patients with low likelihood of malignancy--making it possible to defer surgery or to avoid it altogether--are analyzed. According to the results and for several reasons, controversy over the best approach of solitary cold nodule management can remain. We propose an alternative approach and provide a personal guideline for the use of these tests.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meurisse
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Detroz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamoir
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parizel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006044:Goiter, Nodular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography