Evaluation of Solitary Cold Thyroid Nodules by Echography and Thermography

Abstract

Thyroid operations are an effective form of treatment for thyroid nodules and are associated with minimal morbidity and rare mortality. The major indication for thyroidectomy in non-toxic goiter is the suspicion of thyroid malignancy. Despite the excellent therapeutic effectiveness of thyroid operations, the diagnostic accuracy in differentiating benign from malignant thyroid neoplasms without operation is low. Most medical centers report that the incidence of thyroid cancer in patients having thyroid operations varies from between 5 and 35 percent. Obviously, if only 5 percent of patients who have thyroid operations have cancer of the thyroid, too many people are having thyroid operations and if 50 percent are found to have cancer, too few patients with thyroid disease are having operations and many patients are being followed without definitive treatment.