SONOWORLD : Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

Username

Password

186,545 Registered Members as of 04/11/2021.

JavaScript must be enabled in order for you to use Sonoworld.com in standard view. However, it seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To use standard view, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options, then try again.

Thyroid/parathyroid » General

Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid

« Back to Listing

Author(s) :

Oksana H. Baltarowich, MD

Chaitali Shah, FRCR

Presentation A 57 year old woman with left thyroid lobe enlargement. An ultrasound of the neck was performed.

Caption: Sagittal image of the left thyroid lobe

Description: Two nodules are seen. The larger one in the mid-pole shows peripheral dense calcification causing near-complete shadowing. The nodule in the upper lobe exhibits clumps of calcification within a poorly marginated lesion.

Caption: Transverse view of the left upper pole of thyroid

Description: The lesion margins and calcifications within the upper nodule are better seen in this view using a proprietary image enhancement scheme.

Caption: Sagittal color Doppler image

Description: There appears to be marginal increase in the peripheral vascularity of the nodule in the upper lobe. The mid-pole nodule shows no increased vascularity.

Differential Diagnosis Benign calcified nodules, malignant nodule in the upper lobe of the left thyroid gland.

Final Diagnosis The left upper lobe nodule was a papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. The other nodule was benign.

Discussion The sonographic features of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid have been discussed in another case [click here to view].

This case is presented to demonstrate the one uncommon appearance of a malignant nodule - large areas of calcification . Papillary carcinoma generally presents with either no calcification or a few scattered microcalcifications. Only very rarely does this lesion present as a nodule with large, irregular clumps of calcification as seen in this case.

Case References

Chan BK, Desser TS, McDougall IR, Weigel RJ, Jeffrey RB Jr. Common and uncommon sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma. J Ultrasound Med. 2003 Oct;22(10):1083-90.

Technical Details Proprietary image enhancement technology: XRes (TM), Philips Corporation.

Other contents by this AuthorOther Cases in This Category

Thyroid/parathyroid >> General

Parathyroid adenoma
A 55 year old female presents with complaints of gastroesophageal reflux, crampy abdominal pain, depression and osteoporosis. Laboratory results showed a persistently elevated PTH levels.

Diffuse thyroiditis
A 25 year old femae presents with a one week history of a tender midline swelling of the neck. She also had complaints of palpitations and fine tremors of the hand. Laboratory features revealed ...

Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid with cervical nodal metastases
A 25 year old woman presented with firm right lateral neck swelling. She also had a six pound weight loss over a period of one month. An ultrasound of the neck was performed.

Submandibular duct calculus
A young woman presented with pain in the right submandibular region. The patient said she could palpate something in her mouth since her pain had started.

Acute parotitis in a child
A 3-year-old girl presented with a very painful swollen right side of her face and neck and fever. This was the first episode. An ultrasound was performed.

Left parathyroid adenomas
A potential kidney donor was detected to have asymptomatic hypercalcemia. An ultrasound of the neck was performed.

Neonatal hyperthyroidism
This is the ultrasound scan of the neck in an infant with a history of maternal hyperthyroidism.

Right parathyroid adenoma
A young man presents with painless swelling on the right side of the neck of 15 days duration. An ultrasound of the neck was performed.

Submandibular gland sialolithiasis
A 9-year-old girl presents with recurrent painful swelling in the region of the left submandibular gland. On examination there was tender swelling with no signs of local inflammation. A focused ...

Parotid abscess with reactive lymphadenitis
This is the scan in a young kid with fever and a painful swelling of the right side of the face. She was treated with a 5-day- course of oral antibiotics; however there was minimal clinical ...

Parathyroid Adenoma causing medullary neprhocalcinosis
A 39 years old woman presents at the clinic suffering from bone and abdominal pains. The patient has been diagnosed as having osteoporosis.

Subacute Granulomatous Thyroiditis, de Quervain's thyroiditis
A 39-year-old man presents with acute onset of pain in the thyroid region, exacerbated by turning the head swallowing. The pain radiates to the jaw.

Malignant Melanoma Metastasis to Parotid Gland
A 79-year-old with a history of cutaneous melanoma of the head is referred for ultrasound examination for bilateral swelling of the parotid glands.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
A 31 years old female presents overweight, fatigue, constipation and dry skin. Laboratory features revealed increased levels of TSH, decreased levels of T3, T4 and increased levels of TPO anti. A ...