Spectrum of Thyroid Diseases at Benue State University TeachingHospital Makurdi, Nigeria: A Histopathological Survey.

Abstract

Thyroid diseases are significant endocrine disorders with a wide spectrum of histological patterns and marked
geographical variation. This study aimed to evaluate the histopathological spectrum of thyroid lesions in Makurdi,
North Central Nigeria, over a 10-year period. A retrospective review of 121 thyroidectomy specimens received at
the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, between January 2015 and December 2024 was
conducted. Histopathological diagnoses were classified into non-neoplastic, neoplastic, and inflammatory lesions.
The study revealed that females accounted for 91% of cases, yielding a female-to-male ratio of 10:1. The most
affected age group was 31–40 years. Non-neoplastic lesions predominated (87.2%), with multinodular goitre
constituting 82% of all cases. Neoplastic lesions accounted for 12.8%, comprising 5% benign and 7.4% malignant
cases. Papillary carcinoma was the most frequent malignancy (56%), followed by poorly differentiated carcinoma
(22%), with follicular and medullary carcinomas representing 11% each. Inflammatory conditions, including
Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves' disease, were rare. Thyroid lesions in Makurdi are predominantly nonneoplastic, with a striking female preponderance. Multinodular goitre remains the most common lesion, while
papillary carcinoma is the leading thyroid malignancy. Further studies are warranted to investigate regional
variations in thyroid cancer incidence.