A Case of Ectopic Thyroid in Lateral Neck Associated with Graves' Disease

Thyroid follicles in the lateral position of the neck are usually thought to represent the metastasis of thyroid carcinoma. Here we present a case of a 28-year-old woman with accessory ectopic thyroid associated with Graves' disease. Despite a history of Graves' disease poorly controlled w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Endocrine Journal 1999, Vol.46(5), pp.731-734
Main Authors: YAMAUCHI, MIKA, INOUE, DAISUKE, SATO, HIROAKI, ASHIDA, CHO, HIRAUMI, HARUKAZU, SHAN, LIANG, KAKUDO, KENNICHI, KOSHIYAMA, HIROYUKI
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortion, Induced
Adult
Biopsy, Needle
Choristoma - pathology
Choristoma - surgery
Ectopic thyroid
Female
Graves Disease - complications
Graves Disease - pathology
Graves' disease
Humans
Neck
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications
Thyroid Gland - pathology
Thyroid Gland - surgery
Thyroidectomy
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Summary:Thyroid follicles in the lateral position of the neck are usually thought to represent the metastasis of thyroid carcinoma. Here we present a case of a 28-year-old woman with accessory ectopic thyroid associated with Graves' disease. Despite a history of Graves' disease poorly controlled with large dose propylthiouracil she was found to be pregnant and artificial abortion was planned. Thyroid scintigraphy was carried out, which indicated an uptake into the region above the left lobe as well as into both lobes of the thyroid gland. In order to control hyperthyroidism and to exclude the possibility of metastasis, total thyroidectomy with tumor resection was performed before the artificial abortion. Pathological examinations of the thyroid gland indicated findings compatible with Graves' disease. The lateral neck mass was revealed to be composed of nonneoplastic thyroid tissue, showing similar histological findings to those of the goiter, which were consistent with Graves' disease. Taken together with several previous reports, it appears that there are some cases with lateral ectopic thyroid tissue, whose pathogenetic mechanism remains to be elucidated.
ISSN:0918-8959
1348-4540
DOI:10.1507/endocrj.46.731