Histopathological patterns of thyroid lesions in a teaching health facility: an 11-year review

Background: Thyroid diseases vary geographically, with iodine deficiency being a major cause in Africa. These conditions range from congenital anomalies to acquired neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. Aim: To establish baseline data on the frequency and patterns of thyroid lesions diagnosed in a teaching hospital's histopathology department over an 11-year period (2012-2022). Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using slides and paraffin-embedded blocks of thyroidectomy specimens from January 2012 to December 2022. Clinical data including age, sex, and histological diagnosis were retrieved and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of 111 thyroid lesions (2.4% of all cases) were reviewed, with a female-to-male ratio of 5.5:1 and a mean age of 42.5 years (SD = 12.94). Hyperplastic lesions predominated (76.6%), comprising nodular hyperplasia (45.0%) and diffuse goitre (31.5%). Neoplasms accounted for 18.9%, including papillary carcinoma (7.2%) and follicular carcinoma (4.5%). Congenital and inflammatory lesions were least frequent. Neoplasms peaked in the fourth decade, with significant associations between age, gender, and lesion type (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Thyroid lesions showed strong female predominance. Non-neoplastic conditions were most common, with peak incidence between the fourth and sixth decades.