Tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: sonographic and clinical findings

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and sonographic features of 8 patients with 10 tall cell variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma. The mean age of the patients was 57 years (range, 34-72 years). The tumor sizes varied. Of the 8 patients, 5 had symptomatic masses, and 3 had incidentalomas. Three patients had recurrences and 1 died of pulmonary metastasis within a mean time of 30 months. The tall cell variants often appeared as microlobulated markedly hypoechoic nodules with microcalcifications and extrathyroidal extension on sonography and were always associated with lymph node metastasis. The tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of an aggressive thyroid tumor with symptoms and cervical nodal metastasis.