SOLITARY THYROID NODULES OF CLINICAL AND LABORATORY EVALUATION
Solitary thyroid nodules are a common and important clinical problem. The estimated lifetime risk for developing a nodule in nonendemic population is between 4% and 7%. Although thyroid nodules are common, relatively few are carcinomas. As a general rule, between 5% and 15% of clinically detectable solitary hypofunctioning thyroid nodules prove to be thyroid carcinomas after appropriate evaluation and follow-up.Some information that can be obtained by history and physical examination is useful in determining the likelihood that a thyroid nodule is malignant. The laboratory evaluation of a patient with a solitary thyroid nodule is expensive, and includes several serum functional measurements, thyroid ultrasonography, radionuclide scan and FNA biopsy. Herewith we suggest a scheme for rational evaluation of thyroid nodule patients.