Abstract
Enexpected small lesions not diagnosed preoperatively were found at surgery in 19 of 78 thyroidectomy patients in our clinic. Intraoperative ultrasonographic examination was introduced for the thyroid gland to detect such minor lesions.
In 10 of 20 cases, unexpected lesions could be found by intraoperative ultrasonographic examination, but in only nine of 58 cases by conventional physical examinations. Small nodules of less than 5mm in dinmeter could be detected in nine of 15 nodules by this means, but in only five of 15 nodules without it.
In the present study, it is recommended that intraoperative ultrasonographic examination would be useful to detect unexpected and/or small nodules combined with nodular goiter in the same gland.
