Isolated Posterior Mediastinal Thyroid Nodule Simulating Esophageal Pathology: A Multi-Modality Diagnosis

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Posterior mediastinal goiters are rare causes of dysphagia.
• Symptoms can mimic esophageal malignancy, leading to diagnostic challenges.

Observation:

• A patient presented with progressive dysphagia, odynophagia, and hoarseness due to a retrosternal thyroid nodule.
• High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) results were inconclusive for esophageal pathology.

Findings:

• A barium swallow study successfully excluded esophageal disease.
• The case involved an isolated, exophytic posterior mediastinal thyroid nodule.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering ectopic thyroid tissue in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia.
• Barium swallows remain a valuable tool for evaluating esophageal patency, even with advanced imaging limitations.