Thyroid Diseases: Dabelić N

Kusić Z, Jukić T, Dabelić N, Franceschi M, Anonymous00045. · Hrvatsko drustvo za stitnjacu, Klinika za onkologiju i nuklearnu medicinu, Klinicka bolnica, Sestre milosrdnice, Zagreb. · Lijec Vjesn. · Pubmed #19062757 No free full text.

Abstract: With the introduction of ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration biopsy at the beginning of 1980s, dramatic changes in the clinical perception of thyroid diseases happened, especially thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. The prevalence of thyroid nodules in the population according to ultrasound findings ranges from 20-50%, while around 5% of thyroid nodules harbour cancer. During the past decades significant increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer was recorded worldwide, mainly due to increase in the incidence of papillary thyroid cancer, probably due to improved diagnostics. Many thyroid societies developed guidelines for the management of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. An interdisciplinary team of experts of the Croatian Thyroid Society studied guidelines of other thyroid societies and international publications, and according to our tradition and clinical practice developed the Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. The guidelines were published at Croatian Thyroid Society web page--www.stitnjaca.org, for open discussion and recommendations. Finally, the guidelines were accepted.

Jukić T, Dabelić N, Rogan SA, Nõthig-Hus D, Lukinac L, Ljubicić M, Kusić Z. · Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital "Sestre milosrdnice", Zagreb, Croatia. · Coll Antropol. · Pubmed #19149235 No free full text.

Abstract: The village of Rude is situated near Zagreb, the capital of Croatia in the last Alpine valley on Balkan. In the past, the village was well-known area of severe iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). In 1952', distinguished Croatian endocrinologist Professor Josip Matovinović carried out detailed village survey. Goiter prevalence in school-age children was 85.0% (with 2.3% of cretins in the village). In 1953, the first regulation on compulsory salt iodination with 10 mg of KI/kg of salt was established in former Yugoslavia. Ten years later a dramatic decrease in goiter prevalence was recorded in all endangered areas of the country and no new cretins appeared. However, at the beginning of 1990' mild to moderate iodine deficiency still persisted in Croatia. In 1991, the village of Rude survey demonstrated goiter prevalence in school-age children of 35.0% and median of urinary iodine excretion (UIE) of 7.4 microg/dL. In 1996, the new obligatory regulation with 25 mg of KI/kg of salt was established in Croatia. The study aim was to monitor IDD status in the village after the new law on compulsory salt iodination. Measurements of UIE and thyroid volumes (Tvol) by ultrasound were performed in 7-11-y-old schoolchildren living in the village of Rude. Medians of UIE and body surface area (BSA)-adjusted Tvol in boys and girls were calculated. The study included 84 children in 1997, 132 in 2000, 72 in 2002, 85 in 2003 and 46 in 2004 for UIE measurement. Thyroid volumes were measured in 1999 (43 boys and 26 girls) and in 2005 (22 boys and 26 girls). Data were compared with the new WHO/ICCIDD reference values. Medians of UIE in schoolchildren from the village of Rude demonstrated rising values in microg/dL: 11.4 in 1997, 14.3 in 2000, 17.3 in 2002, 15.4 in 2003 and 19.0 in 2004. Significant decrease in BSA-adjusted Tvol was recorded from 1999-2005 in boys and girls from the village of Rude and in 2005 Tvol were within the normal range according to the new international reference values for Tvol in iodine-sufficient schoolchildren. As a result of increased iodine prophylaxis, IDD no longer exist in Croatia. Monitoring of IDD status in the village of Rude after new law on compulsory salt iodination in Croatia demonstrated rising medians of UIE together with significant reduction of Tvol. In 2005, Tvol in schoolchildren from the village of Rude were within the normal range according to the new international reference values for Tvol in iodine-sufficient schoolchildren.

Matesa N, Tabain I, Dabelić N, Petric V, Kusić Z. · Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sisters of Mercy University Hospital, Vinogradska 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. · Croat Med J. · Pubmed #12402405 links to  free full text

Abstract: AIM: To determine diagnostic relevance of cytologic subclassification of follicular lesions of the thyroid and its role in the therapeutic approach. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of patients who underwent thyroid surgery at the Sisters of Mercy University Hospital, Zagreb, between March 1995 and February 2001, and had a report of preoperative fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of thyroid follicular lesion, which comprises cellular follicular lesion, suspicious for follicular neoplasm, or follicular neoplasm. RESULTS: Out of 110 patients with preoperative FNA biopsy diagnosis of follicular lesion, 86 (78%) had a lesion corresponding histologically to a neoplasm. However, a malignant tumor was found in only 6% of the patients. In the diagnostic categories of cellular follicular lesion and lesion suspicious for follicular neoplasm, the rate of malignancy was even lower, 3% and 4%, respectively. We found significant difference between FNA and histologic findings in distinguishing non-neoplastic from neoplastic thyroid lesions in the category of cellular follicular lesion and follicular neoplasm. CONCLUSION: Due to the low malignancy rate in patients with FNA biopsy diagnoses of cellular follicular lesion or lesion suspicious for follicular neoplasm of the thyroid, we suggest close clinical follow-up of such patients, rather than immediate surgical intervention.