An unusual thyroid tumor: a comparison to a literature review of thyroid teratomas.

Presented is a patient with a tumor containing elements from two germ layers. It was associated within the patient's thyroid gland (located in a benign adenoma), but since the elements were widely separated from each other the tumor could not be classified as a teratoma or hamartoma. To our knowledge no similar tumor has been described. The interesting characteristics of this patient are described. The characteristics of this benign tumor are compared with those of cases in the literature of adult thyroid teratomas.