CLINICOMORPHOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF THYROID LESIONS WITH FOLLICULAR PATTERN ON MICROSCOPY

Abstract

Objective: To histopathologically evaluate thyroid lesions with follicular pattern on routine microscopy.

Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: The cross sectional study was carried out at the department of Pathology PNS Shifa, Karachi, between January 2013 to January 2014.

Material and Methods: Total of 84 patients presenting with thyroid lesions with follicular pattern on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and having age between 18-60 years were included by non probability consecutive sampling technique. SPSS version 10 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Out of 84 cases, 52 (61.90%) were between age 18-40 years, 32 (38.10%) were between 41-60 years of age, with mean ± standard deviation (sd) as 37.10 ± 8.24 years but 62 (73.81%) of the patients presented with the duration of the illness between 1-6 months and 22 (26.19%) of the patients presented with the duration of the illness between 7-12 months within mean ± sd as 5.26 ± 2.53 months. Thirteen (15.47%) were males, 33 (39.29%) had follicular adenoma, 38 (45.24%) had micro follicular adenomatoid nodule, 9 (10.71%) had micro follicular adenomatoid nodule in background of thyroiditis while 4 (4.76%) had follicular carcinoma.

Conclusion: Follicular pattern can be seen both in benign and malignant lesions of thyroid gland. Microfollicular adenomatoid nodule and follicular adenoma are the frequent thyroid gland lesions presenting with follicular pattern on routine histopathological examination. Proper identification of these lesions and differentiation from malignant lesion such as follicular carcinoma is required for the management of the morbidity. In this regard, meticulous microscopic examination and immunohistochemistry is required for the proper diagnosis of the lesion.