[Thyroid scintigraphy: its place in preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules?].

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the real contribution of the thyroid radionuclid scanning in the preoperative evaluation of the thyroid nodules.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors prospectively studied 369 patients who underwent surgical intervention: 160 (43.4%) for isolated nodules and 209 (56.6%) for multinodular goiters.

RESULTS

The scintigraphy of the thyroid was performed in 281 (76.2%) patients: 39 (13.8%) patients with nodules less than 1.5 cm in diameter and 242 (86.2%) patients with nodules more than 1.5 cm in diameter. In 234 patients (83.3%) the scintigraphic evaluation did not bring any utile information for the therapeutic decision. The scintigraphy proved its utility only in 47 patients, which represents 16.7% from the scintigraphic exams performed, or 12.7% from the patients that underwent a surgical procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

In the presence of thyroid nodule or multinodular goiter, the scintigraphy is indicated only in decreased TSH level, suspicion of ectopic thyroid or retrosternal goiter.