BACKGROUND: It is generally considered impossible to differentiate follicular carcinomas from follicular adenomas by means of ultrasonography or cytology before surgery. Therefore, follicular carcinoma is histopathologically diagnosed by verifying capsular and/or vascular invasion after surgery. However, ultrasonography may play an important role in diagnosing follicular carcinoma preoperatively in a small number of cases. CASE DESCRIPTION: Four cases of follicular carcinoma or follicular neoplasm that transformed from a benign thyroid tumor and demonstrated a "nodule in nodule" appearance on ultrasonography are presented in this report. Characteristic ultrasound features of such patients are: (1) a "nodule in nodule" appearance, (2) a well-defined boundary line between the nodules, and (3) separate distribution of blood signals within each nodule. CONCLUSION: A small number of patients with follicular carcinomas or follicular neoplasms may present with a "nodule in nodule" appearance on ultrasonography. It was suggested a long time ago that follicular carcinomas may develop from benign thyroid tumors. The fact that follicular carcinomas appear within benign tumors may be evidence of thyroid tumorigenesis.
BACKGROUND: It is generally considered impossible to differentiate follicular carcinomas from follicular adenomas by means of ultrasonography or cytology before surgery. Therefore, follicular carcinoma is histopathologically diagnosed by verifying capsular and/or vascular invasion after surgery. However, ultrasonography may play an important role in diagnosing follicular carcinoma preoperatively in a small number of cases. CASE DESCRIPTION: Four cases of follicular carcinoma or follicular neoplasm that transformed from a benign thyroid tumor and demonstrated a "nodule in nodule" appearance on ultrasonography are presented in this report. Characteristic ultrasound features of such patients are: (1) a "nodule in nodule" appearance, (2) a well-defined boundary line between the nodules, and (3) separate distribution of blood signals within each nodule. CONCLUSION: A small number of patients with follicular carcinomas or follicular neoplasms may present with a "nodule in nodule" appearance on ultrasonography. It was suggested a long time ago that follicular carcinomas may develop from benign thyroid tumors. The fact that follicular carcinomas appear within benign tumors may be evidence of thyroid tumorigenesis.
Entities:
Keywords:
Diagnosis; Follicular carcinoma; Nodule in nodule; Thyroid; Ultrasonography
Authors: S Franceschi; S Preston-Martin; L Dal Maso; E Negri; C La Vecchia; W J Mack; A McTiernan; L Kolonel; S D Mark; K Mabuchi; F Jin; G Wingren; R Galanti; A Hallquist; E Glattre; E Lund; F Levi; D Linos; E Ron Journal: Cancer Causes Control Date: 1999-12 Impact factor: 2.506
Authors: Pallavi Mehrotra; Michael A Gonzalez; Sarah J Johnson; Nick Coleman; Janet A Wilson; Barry R Davies; Tom W J Lennard Journal: Laryngoscope Date: 2006-08 Impact factor: 3.325
Authors: Christina Tugendsam; Veronika Petz; Wolfgang Buchinger; Brigitta Schmoll-Hauer; Iris Pia Schenk; Karin Rudolph; Michael Krebs; Georg Zettinig Journal: Thyroid Res Date: 2018-05-09