Iatrogenic chyloma in the neck: lymphoscintigraphic findings

Iatrogenic chyle leak with chyloma formation in the neck is a rare complication of neck dissection resulting from injury to the thoracic duct. We present the case of a 37-year-old woman who complained of left-sided neck swelling within days after total thyroidectomy and lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid cancer. Lymphoscintigraphy demonstrated the chyle leak in the left cervical region, and subsequent aspiration of the left neck swelling showed radioactivity in the aspirate. After successful operative repair of the thoracic duct, the patient was able to undergo radioactive ablative thyroid treatment.