A Case of Malignant Thymoma Mimicking Thyroid Carcinoma: A Pitfall in Fine-needle Aspiration

Bunzo MATSUURA; Hitoo TOKUNAGA; Teruki MIYAKE; Sachiko UTSUNOMIYA; Hisaka MINAMI; Morikazu ONJI

doi:10.1507/endocrj.51.237

NOTE

A Case of Malignant Thymoma Mimicking Thyroid Carcinoma: A Pitfall in Fine-needle Aspiration

Bunzo MATSUURA, Hitoo TOKUNAGA, Teruki MIYAKE, Sachiko UTSUNOMIYA, Hisaka MINAMI, Morikazu ONJI

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Keywords: Thymoma, Papillary carcinoma of thyroid, Fine-needle aspiration cytology

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2004 Volume 51 Issue 2 Pages 237-241

DOI https://doi.org/10.1507/endocrj.51.237

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Abstract

A case of malignant thymoma presenting as an anterior neck mass is reported. The tumor extended from the thyroid gland to the superior mediastinum. It did not accumulate Tc-99m pertechnetate, but continued to accumulate Tl-201 at the late phase. A fine-needle aspiration cytology from the tumor showed tight clusters of epithelial cells with crowded ovoid nuclei. The tumor was initially diagnosed as thyroid carcinoma, clinically and cytologically. A thymoma with a dominant epithelial component has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of a suspected papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

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