Clinical images. Thyroid follicular carcinoma presenting as intraorbital, intracranial, and subcutaneous metastasis.

Follicular carcinoma of the thyroid usually metastasizes through a hematogenous route to the bone, lung, and central nervous system. Metastasis to subcutaneous tissues and retro-orbital region is unusual. We report an unusual case of follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to subcutaneous tissues in the right temporal region with invasion of bone and intraorbital and intracranial tissues that was diagnosed by a computed tomography scan and biopsy. The patient was managed by total thyroidectomy followed by radiotherapy. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.