Thyroid teratoma in an 11-month-old infant

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Developmental Biology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Congenital thyroid masses are rare in infants.
• Teratomas are tumors with derivatives from all three germ layers.
• Benign thyroid teratomas are exceptionally uncommon.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of congenital benign thyroid teratoma in an infant.
• To describe the histological and immunophenotypical characteristics of the tumor.
• To contribute to the literature on pediatric thyroid neoplasms.

Main Methods:

• Surgical excision of the right thyroid gland mass.
• Gross pathological examination of the tumor.
• Histopathological analysis, including evaluation of germ layer derivatives.
• Immunophenotypical identification of tumor components.

Main Results:

• A 25 x 20 x 15 mm benign teratoma was found in the right thyroid gland of an 11-month-old male infant.
• The tumor was easily dissected from surrounding thyroid tissue.
• Histology revealed mature derivatives of all three germ layers, predominantly neurological tissue resembling brain tissue.
• Components included glial cells, ependymal epithelium, tubules, cysts, and retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Conclusions:

• Congenital benign thyroid teratoma is a rare diagnosis in infants.
• The presented case highlights the diverse histological features, particularly the neuroglial components.
• Morphological and immunophenotypical identification confirmed the benign nature of this thyroid teratoma.