Qn1. A 43 year old man presents with a slowly enlarging solitary thyroid nodule.

a. On gross examination, is this tumour benign or malignant? Why?

b. What is the appropriate nomenclature of this tumour (eg. carcinoma, sarcoma, adenoma etc) ?

Ans:

a. Benign. The cut surface shows a rounded, well-circumscribed, encapsulated nodule. There is no necrosis (pale areas) or haemorrhage (dark blackish areas) to indicate rapid growth or bleeding from small newly formed vessels. There is no infiltrative growth into the surrounding thyroid parenchyma. Hence the tumour is benign.

b. Nomenclature: Thyroid adenoma / Follicular adenoma (benign tumour arising from follicular cells of the thyroid gland).

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