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CC BY 4.0 · Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1811956
Original Article

Patterns and Outcomes of Nodular Thyroid Disease in Benghazi, Libya

Authors

  • Tawfeeq A. Miftah

    1   Department of Internal Medicine, Benghazi Medical Center, Benghazi, Libya

  • Najat O. Buzaid

    2   Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
    3   Department of Endocrine and Diabetes, 7th October Hospital, Benghazi, Libya

  • Sami A. Lawgaly

    2   Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya

  • Mussa G. Twati

    2   Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
    3   Department of Endocrine and Diabetes, 7th October Hospital, Benghazi, Libya

  • Amina M. Albash

    2   Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya

Funding and Sponsorship None.
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Abstract

Background

Most studies on thyroid nodules in Libya have been conducted on histopathological samples. This study was conducted on patients attending endocrine clinics in Benghazi, Libya.

Objectives

This article aims to describe the clinical, radiological, biochemical, and pathological aspects and outcome of nodular thyroid disease in Benghazi, Libya.

Materials and Methods

A total of 227 patients with nodular thyroid disease who attended the endocrine clinics of Benghazi Medical Center and 7th October Hospital during the year 2023 were included in the study. Records were reviewed regarding age, sex, clinical presentation, history of previous head and neck radiotherapy, number and size of nodules, presence and site of lymphadenopathy, thyroid ultrasound features, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) results, outcome (surgery and its type or follow-up), results of histopathology, and final diagnosis.

Results

Most of the studied group was females, 213 (93.8%). The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 52.3 ± 13.5 years. Multinodular goiter represented the highest percentage and accounted for 142 (62.6%). Mean nodule size ± SD was 2.4 ± 1.5 cm, and the median TSH level was 1.7 mIu/L. Regarding FNAC, most of the cases (110, 44.1%) were benign/colloid goiter, follicular neoplasm, or malignant (19, 8.3%). Among the 54 patients who had a histopathological diagnosis, 26 (48.1%) were proven to have thyroid carcinoma, and most of them had papillary carcinoma (24/26, 92.3%). Among 28 benign cases, 13 (24.5%) had Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Conclusion

Nodular thyroid disease was more common in females; most cases had multiple nodules. FNAC was benign colloid in more than half of the cases, and malignancy or suspicious for malignancy was found in 10% of the cases. Half of the cases with histopathological diagnosis had thyroid carcinoma, and most of them were papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Keywords

nodules - thyroid - nodular - TIRADS - fine-needle aspiration cytology - Benghazi - Libya

Authors' Contributions

T.A.M.: Data collection, statistics, and writing. N.O.B.: Research question and writing. S.A.L.: Writing and statistics. M.G.T.: Revision. A.M.A.: Revision. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript and take collective responsibility for its contents.


Compliance with Ethical Principles

The ethical research board at Benghazi Medical Center, Benghazi, Libya approved the study.




Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
22. September 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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