Comparison of Argyrophilic Nucleolar Organizer Regions in Normal Throid, Nodular Goiter and Throid Neoplasms

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) are loops of ribosomal DNA in the nucleolus and are associated with acidic proteins that have a high affinity for silver.
In this study, the mean AgNOR counts were evaluated in specimens. Seventy three specimens were examined, including 16 normal thyroids, 19 nodular goiters, 21 follicular adenomas and 17 thyroid carcinomas (11 papillary, 4 follicular carcinomas, and 2 medullary carcinomas). The specimens were stained, using modified AgNOR staining method.
It has been shown that mean AgNOR count increases from normal thyroid (1.45 ± 0.21) to papillary carcinoma, nodular goiter (1.60 ± 0.29), thyroid carcinoma (total) (1.78 ± 0.38), follicular adenoma (1.79 ± 0.42), follicular carcinoma (2.10 ± 0.12) and medullary carcinoma (2.22 ± 0.32) (mean ± SD). But, statistical analysis of the above findings, using unpaired Student's t test showed that mean AgNOR counts in adenoma and carcinoma are significantly higher than normal thyroid (P