How Many Contralateral Carcinomas in Patients with Unilateral Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma are Preoperatively Misdiagnosed as Benign?

Background: The decision to perform a total thyroidectomy (TT) for unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) with nodules in the contralateral lobe remains controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of contralateral carcinomas that are preoperatively misdiagnosed as benign.

Methods: From October 2011 to October 2015, a total of 347 patients with unilateral PTMC and contralateral benign nodules who were treated with a TT at a single institution were enrolled.