A prospective study of thyroid ultrasound scan in the clinically solitary thyroid nodule.

Thyroid ultrasound differentiates solid from cystic lesions, solitary nodules from multinodular and diffuse enlargement, and extrathyroidal lesions. Two hundred consecutive patients with a clinically solitary thyroid nodule were investigated by ultrasound examination, thyroid function test, and thyroid auto-antibodies. Patients with confirmed solitary solid, or mixed solid and cystic nodules underwent surgery as well as those with cysts, multinodular or diffuse goitres with pressure symptoms, recurrent haemorrhage or relapsing hyperthyroidism. Comparison between the ultrasound and ultimate pathological findings in the 101 patients who underwent surgery showed that they were in agreement in 96 cases. The remaining 99 patients with cystic, multinodular or diffuse lesions have been followed up for a mean of two years. Nearly 50% of patients with a clinically solitary thyroid nodule have avoided surgery.