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Thyroid enlargement due to extramedullary plasmacytoma
1Department of Radiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Summary
A rapidly enlarging thyroid mass was the initial extramedullary symptom of plasmacytoma in a 69-year-old woman. This rare presentation highlights the importance of considering plasmacytoma in diagnosing unusual neck masses.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Extramedullary plasmacytoma, a rare manifestation of plasma cell disorders, can occur in various tissues.
- Multiple myeloma, a hematologic malignancy, involves plasma cells and can present with extramedullary disease in less than 5% of cases.
Observation:
- A 69-year-old female patient presented with a rapidly growing thyroid mass.
- This thyroid mass was identified as the initial extramedullary symptom of plasmacytoma.
Findings:
- Extramedullary plasmacytoma can manifest as a thyroid mass.
- The case underscores the potential for misdiagnosis of extramedullary lesions.
Implications:
- Radiologists and clinicians should consider plasmacytoma in the differential diagnosis of rapidly enlarging neck masses, particularly when other symptoms are absent.
- Awareness of extramedullary plasmacytoma is crucial to avoid misinterpreting these lesions as metastatic carcinoma or lymphoma.