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. 2024 May 9;7(5):e2090.
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.2090. eCollection 2024 May.

Evaluation of the ultrasound findings of thyroid gland enlargement in Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Emmanuel Kobina Mesi Edzie  1   2 , Klenam Dzefi-Tettey  2   3 , Edmund Kwakye Brakohiapa  4 , Obed Nimo  5 , Peter Appiah-Thompson  6 , Michael Kofi Amedi  2   7 , Ansumana Bockarie  8 , Frank Quarshie  9 , Emmanuel Onimole  10 , Emmanuel Akorli  10 , Richard Anthony  11 , Richard Ato Edzie  1 , Nana Ama Amankwa  12 , Aaron Amartey  13 , Bernard Osei  9 , Bright Oppong  1 , Abdul Raman Asemah  1 , Philip Narteh Gorleku  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of the ultrasound findings of thyroid gland enlargement in Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Emmanuel Kobina Mesi Edzie et al. Health Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Background and aim: Goiter is a major source of morbidity in the world, especially in the developing world, where dietary iodine deficiency, a known cause of this condition, is endemic. The diagnosis is mostly by ultrasonography (USG) scan, which can give anatomical, pathological, and functional information for the management of goiter. This study aimed to determine the commonest ultrasound findings of goiter in Ghana.

Method: The records of all 213 patients with goiter diagnosed by USG scan over a 5-year period were retrieved. Data collected were sociodemographics, ultrasound features, thyroid nodules diameter, and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) scores, which were analyzed using GNU PSPP, version 1.2.0-3. χ 2 and two-tailed independent samples t-test were also employed, with p ≤ 0.05.

Results: A total of 213 patients with goiter diagnosed by USG scan were obtained over the study period. The mean age of the participants was 50.01 ± 17.27 years, with an age range of 16-92 years and females constituting the majority (82.16%). The commonest ultrasound features were well-defined solid nodules. The lesion sites for most patients were the whole thyroid (28.17%), both lobes (24.41%), and the right lobe (20.19%). The mean difference in sizes of cysts and solid nodules among genders was 0.26 (CI: -0.14 to 0.67, p = 0.20) and 0.12 (CI: -0.43 to 0.66, p = 0.67), respectively. The TI-RADS score featured TI-RADS 4 (36.62%), TI-RADS 1 (28.17%), TI-RADS 3 (25.82%), TI-RADS 5 (5.16%), and TI-RADS 2 (4.23%). Solid nodules (49.32%, p = 0.001) and cysts (35.71%, p = 0.003) were more common within 41-60 years and less frequent in those <21 years. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant in this study.

Conclusion: The predominant ultrasound features were well-defined solid nodules, simple cysts, and solid nodules with cystic changes, mostly located in the entire thyroid gland and least located in the isthmus only. Cysts and solid nodules were mostly seen in the 41-60 years age group.

Keywords: Ghana; cyst; findings; goiter; thyroid nodule; ultrasound imaging.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proportions of the TI‐RADS scores. TI‐RAD, thyroid imaging reporting and data system.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Thyroid lesion sites.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sonograms showing diffuse heterogeneous solid nodules of the thyroid gland (A and B). The left lobe shows a well‐defined complex cyst suggestive of a colloid cyst (A), red arrow.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Ultrasound images showing multiple diffuse heterogeneous solid nodules involving the entire thyroid gland (A−D). The right lobe shows parenchymal calcifications (B), yellow arrow.
Figure 5
Figure 5
A sonogram showing a simple cystic lesion in the lateral side of the left lobe (A and B), red arrows, and another smaller cyst in the left lobe (C and D), blue arrows.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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