Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Masquerading as Type II Branchial Cleft Cyst : A Case Report

Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology 2012;28(1):34-36.
Published online May 30, 2012.

Seung Woo Kim;Jung Min Kim;Choon Dong Kim

제2형 새열 낭종으로 오인된 전이성 갑상선 유두상 암종 1예

김승우;김정민;김춘동

Abstract

In case of lateral cervical cystic lesions, the differential diagnoses include branchial cleft cyst(BCC), terato-ma, dermoid, hemangioma and lymphangioma etc. But sometimes metastatic cystic lymph nodes may exist in lateral neck. In such circumstance, the primary lesions are known to stem from oropharynx, nasopharynx, sali-vary and thyroid gland etc. A-66-year-old-male came to our clinic, due to the lateral cervical mass for 5 years. We performed the neck CT, sonography and sono-guided FNAC. He was initially diagnosed with the benign cyst such as BCC. We performed the excisional biopsy on left level II, but the pathologic report was revealed as metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC). And then he received the total thyroidectomy with neck dis-section. The final diagnosis was cystic metastasis from PTC. We learn a valuable lesson form this case in the following. Even if the simple cervical cyst is presumed with radiology and clinical pattern, more careful con-siderations on the basis of history and radiologic findings are mandatory.

Key Words: Metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma, Type II branchial cleft cyst