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Radiologic and cytologic findings in a case of thyrolipoma
Gulgan Demirpolat1, Bunyamin Guney, Recep Savas
1Department of Radiology, Ege University Hospital, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
Insights
This case report describes a rare thyrolipoma, a benign thyroid mass containing fat and thyroid tissue. Diagnosis was confirmed using imaging and fine needle aspiration, highlighting the importance of these methods for identifying unusual thyroid lesions.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Radiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Thyrolipomas are uncommon encapsulated lesions characterized by the presence of both adipose and thyroid tissue.
- This report details a rare case of thyrolipoma in a 60-year-old male patient.
Observation:
- The patient presented with a decade-long history of goiter, complicated by rapid thyroid gland enlargement in recent months.
- Diagnostic workup included ultrasonography, scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA).
- Initial imaging revealed an unusual thyroidal mass, prompting further investigation.
Findings:
- Ultrasonography and scintigraphy indicated an atypical thyroid mass.
- CT and MR imaging provided characteristic features suggestive of thyrolipoma.
- Fine needle aspiration cytology confirmed the diagnosis of thyrolipoma.
Implications:
- This case underscores the utility of multimodal imaging (CT and MR) combined with FNA cytology in diagnosing rare entities like thyrolipoma.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate patient management and to differentiate from other thyroid neoplasms.
- The findings contribute to the limited literature on thyrolipoma, aiding future diagnostic efforts.
Abstract:
Thyrolipomas are rare capsulated mass lesions containing fat and thyroid tissue. We herein report the case of a 60-year-old man who had goitre for 10 years, with rapid enlargement of the gland during the last several months before presentation. Sonography, scintigraphy, CT, MR imaging, and sonography-guided fine needle aspiration were performed. Sonography and scintigraphy revealed an unusual mass of the thyroid. The diagnosis of thyrolipoma was based on CT and MR imaging findings and fine needle aspiration cytology.
