Open AccessPapillary thyroid micro carcinoma masquerading as branchial cleft cyst
Author(s) -
Rashmi Krishnappa,
Atk Rau,
Usha Ravi Kumar,
Mekala Lakshminarayanan
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
archives of medicine and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2321-6085
pISSN - 2321-4848
DOI - 10.4103/2321-4848.123029
Subject(s) - medicine , branchial cyst , occult , thyroid , cyst , nodule (geology) , metastasis , papillary carcinoma , histopathological examination , carcinoma , thyroid carcinoma , pathology , thyroidectomy , radiology , cancer , paleontology , alternative medicine , biology
Papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC) have excellent prognosis, although a few may present with metastasis to cervical lymphnodes. We present one such case of PTMC presenting as a left neck cyst without evidence of palpable primary thyroid nodule either clinically or on imaging. On histopathological examination of the excised cyst and subsequent total thyroidectomy, a final diagnosis of PTMC with cervical lymphnode metastasis undergoing cystic degeneration was given. We conclude that PTMC may also present as lateral neck cyst with an occult primary in thyroid gland