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Struma cordis. Ectopic thyroid goiter in the right ventricle.
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
|May 1, 1986
Summary
Intracardiac thyroid goiter, or struma cordis, is extremely rare. This case report details a surgically resected intracardiac tumor histologically confirmed as thyroid tissue, suggesting a developmental origin.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Pathology
Background:
- Intracardiac thyroid goiter (struma cordis) is an exceptionally rare condition, with only two prior reported cases.
- Thyroid tissue ectopically located within the heart presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Observation:
- A middle-aged woman presented with a clinically diagnosed intracardiac tumor.
- The tumor was surgically resected and found to be adherent to the ventricular septum, obstructing the right ventricular outflow tract.
Findings:
- Histological examination confirmed the intracardiac mass was composed of thyroid tissue, separated from the myocardium by fibrous tissue.
- Post-operative autopsy revealed strumous changes in the patient's native thyroid gland.
- The patient died from renal failure two weeks after surgery.
Implications:
- The findings suggest a potential dysembryologic origin for intracardiac thyroid goiter.
- This case adds to the limited understanding of struma cordis and its potential etiologies.
- Further research into developmental anomalies of ectopic thyroid tissue is warranted.