Introduction

Thyroid nodules have a high prevalence in populations where iodine deficiency rates are high and in people older than 50 years. Considering that only 5-10% of thyroid nodules are of malignant nature, it is apparent that the clinical issue is the cost-effective differential diagnosis between benign nodules and the malignant ones. This e-book addresses this key issue by giving readers a general overview on the clinical aspect of thyroid nodules and specific details on molecular characterization of the nodules. This e-book is particularly suitable for novice endocrinologists but laboratory biologists and technicians involved in the pre-surgical diagnosis of thyroid cancer can also benefit from the additional technical details offered in this text.