Thyroid scintigraphy: its place in preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules?

To evaluate the real contribution of the thyroid radionuclid scanning in the preoperative evaluation of the thyroid nodules. The authors prospectively studied 369 patients who underwent surgical intervention: 160 (43.4%) for isolated nodules and 209 (56.6%) for multinodular goiters. The scintigraphy of the thyroid was performed in 281 (76.2%) patients: 39 (13.8%) patients with nodules less than 1.5 cm in diameter and 242 (86.2%) patients with nodules more than 1.5 cm in diameter. In 234 patients (83.3%) the scintigraphic evaluation did not bring any utile information for the therapeutic decision. The scintigraphy proved its utility only in 47 patients, which represents 16.7% from the scintigraphic exams performed, or 12.7% from the patients that underwent a surgical procedure. In the presence of thyroid nodule or multinodular goiter, the scintigraphy is indicated only in decreased TSH level, suspicion of ectopic thyroid or retrosternal goiter.