BACKGROUND: Italy is characterized by high prevalence of goiter. To date, only limited data about the prevalence of goiter in the Italian adult population are available. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of thyroid ultrasound abnormalities in adults unaware of any thyroid disease and evaluate the rate of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) obtained by this intervention. METHODS: Ultrasound (US) thyroid scan was performed in adult volunteers recruited by advertisement in Modena, Italy. One hundred and thirty-five women and 66 men (no.= 201), unaware of any thyroid disease (mean age of 46 ± 10.7 yr) underwent their first thyroid US scan. RESULTS: US thyroid abnormalities were found in 101 subjects (50.3%): 91 nodular goiters (45.2%) and 13 US-thyroiditis (6.5%) associated with positive auto-antibodies in 11 of them. Seventeen subjects (18%) with nodules underwent US-fine needle aspiration biopsy with the following cytological class (C) outcome: 14 patients C2 (82%), 1 patient C3 (6%), 2 patients had C4 (12%), the latter received histological confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of thyroid abnormalities is very high in subjects unaware of any thyroid disease. DTC was found in 1% of subjects and in 2% of those affected by nodular goiter. Compared to the detection rate of the well-established screening programs for breast (0.45%) and colorectal (0.27%) cancer, the prevalence of DTC seems to be much higher. Thyroid US screening could allow the detection of DTC in asymptomatic subjects and this diagnosis often includes DTC at an advanced stage. Thus, US screening not necessarily results in the over-diagnosis of clinically not relevant thyroid diseases.
BACKGROUND: Italy is characterized by high prevalence of goiter. To date, only limited data about the prevalence of goiter in the Italian adult population are available. AIM: To investigate the prevalence of thyroid ultrasound abnormalities in adults unaware of any thyroid disease and evaluate the rate of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) obtained by this intervention. METHODS: Ultrasound (US) thyroid scan was performed in adult volunteers recruited by advertisement in Modena, Italy. One hundred and thirty-five women and 66 men (no.= 201), unaware of any thyroid disease (mean age of 46 ± 10.7 yr) underwent their first thyroid US scan. RESULTS: US thyroid abnormalities were found in 101 subjects (50.3%): 91 nodular goiters (45.2%) and 13 US-thyroiditis (6.5%) associated with positive auto-antibodies in 11 of them. Seventeen subjects (18%) with nodules underwent US-fine needle aspiration biopsy with the following cytological class (C) outcome: 14 patients C2 (82%), 1 patient C3 (6%), 2 patients had C4 (12%), the latter received histological confirmation. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of thyroid abnormalities is very high in subjects unaware of any thyroid disease. DTC was found in 1% of subjects and in 2% of those affected by nodular goiter. Compared to the detection rate of the well-established screening programs for breast (0.45%) and colorectal (0.27%) cancer, the prevalence of DTC seems to be much higher. Thyroid US screening could allow the detection of DTC in asymptomatic subjects and this diagnosis often includes DTC at an advanced stage. Thus, US screening not necessarily results in the over-diagnosis of clinically not relevant thyroid diseases.
Authors: L Hegedüs; H Perrild; L R Poulsen; J R Andersen; B Holm; P Schnohr; G Jensen; J M Hansen Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 1983-02 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: F Aghini-Lombardi; L Antonangeli; E Martino; P Vitti; D Maccherini; F Leoli; T Rago; L Grasso; R Valeriano; A Balestrieri; A Pinchera Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 1999-02 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: A Rios; B Torregrosa; J M Rodríguez; D Rodríguez; A Cepero; M D Abellán; N M Torregrosa; A M Hernández; P Parrilla Journal: Langenbecks Arch Surg Date: 2016-06-04 Impact factor: 3.445
Authors: Eun Ju Ha; Sae Rom Chung; Dong Gyu Na; Hye Shin Ahn; Jin Chung; Ji Ye Lee; Jeong Seon Park; Roh-Eul Yoo; Jung Hwan Baek; Sun Mi Baek; Seong Whi Cho; Yoon Jung Choi; Soo Yeon Hahn; So Lyung Jung; Ji-Hoon Kim; Seul Kee Kim; Soo Jin Kim; Chang Yoon Lee; Ho Kyu Lee; Jeong Hyun Lee; Young Hen Lee; Hyun Kyung Lim; Jung Hee Shin; Jung Suk Sim; Jin Young Sung; Jung Hyun Yoon; Miyoung Choi Journal: Korean J Radiol Date: 2021-10-26 Impact factor: 3.500