Graves' disease and concurrent thyroid carcinoma. The importance of thyroid scintigraphy in Graves' disease

A woman with Graves' disease and unsuspected coexisting thyroid cancer is presented. Although rare, this association has to be considered. It has been noticed that thyroid cancer is more common in hyperthyroid than euthyroid persons. Thus, thyroid scintigraphy is very important in the initial workup of Graves' disease. It helps determine whether medical or surgical therapy is more appropriate in a particular patient.