[Solitary solid cold thyroid nodule in children and adolescents].

The present series includes 19 children and adolescents aged 8 to 15 years, 14 females (74%) and 5 males (26%), who underwent surgery because of solitary hypofunctioning solid thyroid mass. Microscopic examination of the mass was consistent with adenoma in 11 cases, carcinoma in 7 cases and thyroiditis in one case. Neither clinical examination nor isotopic and endocrinological investigations were predictive of the histological diagnosis. A cold nodule which is solid by ultrasonography and hypofixing by scintiscan requires, after observation for a few months, biopsy with histologic assessment during the operation.