Venous involvement by follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland

Involvement of the great veins by thyroid neoplasms is a rare event: to date 9 cases have been reported and only 2 of them have been surgically treated. The authors describe a case of follicular thyroid carcinoma involving the proximal tract of the left innominate vein at its confluence with the superior vena cava: a neoplastic bud was protruding into the lumen, but the endothelial lining appeared to be perfectly preserved. Full radicality was obtained by a major vascular procedure.