Assessment of Thyroid Nodules in Children: A Single Center Experience

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid nodules in children are less common than adults, but with a higher risk of malignancy, metastasis and recurrence. Therefore, detection, follow-up and treatment of thyroid nodules in children is very important. Our study retrospectively analyzed the demographic features, concomitant diseases and ultrasonography (USG) findings of thyroid nodules in children and aimed to obtain information about incidence of malignancy.
METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, laboratory, thyroid USG, Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and surgical results of 45 pediatric patients with thyroid nodules.
RESULTS: Forty-five patients were included in the study, female domination was present, and most of the patients were adolescents. Six (13.3%) of the patients had a family history of thyroid cancer, and one had a history of radiation. Thyroid-related disease was present in 53.3% of the patients. Five patients had non-thyroid disease. Thyroid function tests were within normal limits in 33 (73.3%) of the patients. In our patients with pediatric thyroid nodules, FNAB was underwent in 46.6% according to the nodule size, and malignancy was detected in 2.2% of our patient group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Careful evaluation of thyroid nodules that are rarely seen in adults but higher in malignancy than adults should be evaluated. Diagnostic research for thyroid cancer is mostly done in adult patients, our study contributes to the assessment of risk conditions in thyroid nodules in children.