Clinical, Laboratory and Ultrasound Profile of Patients with Thyroid Nodules in Kinshasa

Abstract

Background: Thyroid nodule is a common disorder normally detected by ultrasound. However, little is known about the prevalence of thyroid nodules in the population of Kinshasa. The objective of this study is to determine the ultrasound profile of thyroid nodules and its characteristics in patients followed in Kinshasa hospitals. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study, based on the medical records of patients who have been operated on in hospitals in Kinshasa. All participants underwent thyroid ultrasound. The clinical and sonographic characteristics were studied. Results: In total, 61 patients (mean age: 47.38 8.8 years, 96.7% women) were included in this study. The mean clinical score of the patients was 3.4 0.84. The majority of patients were classified as having an intermediate risk (85.2%). The majority of ultrasounds performed were indicated for anterior cervical swelling (78.7%). The majority of patients had more than three nodules (34.4%), the outline of the nodules was more regular (85.2%), they had a rounded shape in 11.5%, mostly isoechogenic echogenicity (62.3%) and a solid echostructure in