[Hashimoto's thyroiditis in "struma ovarii". Case report and review of the literature].

Struma ovarii, a teratoma in which thyroid tissue is the predominant or sole component account for 2.7% of all ovarian tumors. Pathogenesis is unclear. In addition to symptoms and signs caused by the presence of a mass, struma may be associated with a number of unusual clinical manifestations. Ascitis occurs in approximately one third of the cases, Meigs' syndrome occasionally and hyperthyroidism in only about 5% of cases. Thyroiditis is an occasional finding and Hashimotos' thyroiditis is rare in struma ovarii. The struma may resemble normal thyroid tissue, a thyroid adenoma or thyroid carcinoma. The treatment is surgical and the outcome generally favorable. This paper reports the first clinical case of a patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in a pure struma ovarii associated with positive specific antithyroid antibodies in the absence of symptoms and signs due to thyroid disease.