Spectrum of thyroid nodules in a tertiary care center in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abstract

Background: This study investigates and analyses the thyroid nodules in Bahrain, and correlates the diagnosis of cytopathology with a subsequent excision histopathology. Materials & Methods: We conducted a retrospective study for all thyroid cases diagnosed at the Salmaniya Medical Complex during a 7-year period (January 2013 to December 2019). Results: A total of 1218 thyroid nodules were diagnosed during the study period. Among them, 1,037 (85%) of the patients were females and 181 were males (15%), with an average age of 48.2 years. Surgical excision was performed on 263 out of 1,037 (25%) of the cases. Conclusions: The study revealed that the prevalence of thyroid nodules is higher among females. The most common nodules are benign multinodular goiters. A statistically significant correlation was observed between fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA) and surgical excision of the thyroid nodule.