The cytofluorometric analysis of nuclear DNA in nodular goiter

: The purpose of this study was to measure the nuclear DNA content of cells in three different areas of multinodular goiter from 15 patients. Diploid DNA was found in the cell samples from 12 patients; the biopsies from one patient contained a clear ipodiploid peak (61%, D.I. 0.75) and those from the remaining 2 had dubious ploidy. The calculation of the mitotic index, including cells in S + G2M phases, evidentiated a large variability between different samples from the same goiter, thus correlating with the cellular heterogeneous composition of the thyroid.