Abstract
Background: Disorders of the thyroid are common in pregnancy. In particular, a thyroid nodule is frequently discovered before or during pregnancy. Objective: To develop guidelines for the management of thyroid nodules during pregnancy. Methods: We reviewed the cases of 40 pregnant patients with thyroid nodules evaluated during a 10-year period. Cytological findings were compared with available histological findings, and concordance rates were determined. The rank sum test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Fine-needle aspirations of thyroid nodules in 62% of patients were benign cytologically (25 patients). Of 8 patients with negative cytological results who had thyroidectomy, all had benign disease histologically (100% concordance rate). Cytological findings of papillary cancer (3 patients) strongly correlated with final histological diagnosis (100% concordance rate), whereas papillary cancer was confirmed histologically in only 2 of 4 patients with cytological findings suspicious for this disease (50% concordance rate). All 3 nodules with cytological findings suspicious for follicular neoplasm were benign adenomas histologically. Of 2 nodules suspicious for Hurthle cell neoplasm, 1 was Hurthle cell adenoma and the other was Hurthle cell carcinoma (100% concordance rate). Thyroidectomy during the second trimester of pregnancy or the early postpartum period was successful. Conclusions: The approach to thyroid nodules in pregnancy should be similar to that for nonpregnant patients. Thyroidectomy should be performed (1) during the second trimester for malignant lesions and cytological findings suspicious for papillary cancer and (2) in the postpartum period for cytological findings suspicious for follicular neoplasm.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2317-2320 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Archives of internal medicine |
Volume | 156 |
Issue number | 20 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 11 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Internal Medicine