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Nonpalpable occult and metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma
Author(s) -
Witterick Ian J.,
Abel Sharon M.,
Noyek Arnold M.,
Freeman Jeremy L.,
Chapnik Jerry S.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.5541030205
Subject(s) - occult , medicine , palpation , papillary carcinoma , radiology , thyroidectomy , thyroid , thyroid carcinoma , carcinoma , pathology , alternative medicine
The results of palpation, ultrasound, and detailed pathology were compared in 50 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy. Of the 211 nodules recognized by pathology, palpation detected 24% and ultrasound detected 43%. There were 14 patients with palpable papillary carcinomas, and 12 of these 14 had metastatic foci in other portions of the gland. Metastatic foci would have been left in 10 patients if only a lobectomy had been performed and would have been left in 6 patients if only a subtotal thyroidectomy (as defined in this report) had been performed. Of the 33 patients with benign palpable nodules, 5 had occult papillary carcinomas. In 2 of those 5 patients, the occult carcinomas would not have been removed if a less‐than‐total thyroidectomy had been performed. The significance of these occult and metastatic papillary carcinomas is discussed.