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Incidentally detected liver metastasis of well‐differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid, mimicking ectopic thyroid
Author(s) -
Kondo Tetsuo,
Katoh Ryohei,
Omata Kosaku,
Oyama Toshio,
Yagawa Akiharu,
Kawaoi Akira
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
pathology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.73
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1827
pISSN - 1320-5463
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1827.2000.01065.x
Subject(s) - pathology , thyroid , medicine , thyroglobulin , metastasis , thyroid carcinoma , nodule (geology) , thyroid adenoma , differential diagnosis , cancer , biology , paleontology
A case of incidentally detected liver metastasis of follicular carcinoma of the thyroid, histologically mimicking ectopic thyroid, is described. The patient was a 48‐year‐old woman. A 2‐cm mass was incidentally detected in the left lobe of the liver by abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan. Partial liver resection was performed for diagnosis and treatment. Histologically, the liver nodule was composed of small‐to‐large follicles containing colloid material. The lining epithelium was flat or cuboidal and showed no cellular or nuclear atypia. Immunohistochemical studies for thyroid‐specific proteins, thyroglobulin (Tg), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), suggested that the nodule was of thyroid origin. Therefore, a differential diagnosis of metastasis of well‐differentiated thyroid cancer, ectopic thyroid tissue and teratoma was made. The patient had a history of subtotal thyroidectomy performed 8 years ago due to a thyroid tumor. The original surgical specimens of the thyroid tumor were diagnosed as follicular adenoma. Additional sections of the specimen were reviewed and an area of convincing vascular invasion was found that was suggestive of follicular carcinoma. Subsequent whole‐body examination failed to find other metastases. It was determined that the liver tumor was metastasized from well‐differentiated follicular carcinoma of the thyroid.