PURPOSE: To review the varied presentations of metastatic cervical lymph node disease in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: Thirteen cases were retrospectively collected and their clinical, imaging, surgical, and pathologic material was reviewed. In the cases reviewed there was no clinical or imaging evidence of a primary thyroid mass. RESULTS: On CT, metastatic nodes can have multiple discrete calcifications, appear as benign cysts or hyperplastic or hypervascular nodes, or have areas of high attenuation which reflect intranodal hemorrhage and/or high concentrations of thyroglobulin. On MR, the nodes can have low to intermediate T1- and high T2-weighted signal intensities or high T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities, the latter reflecting primarily a high thyroglobulin content. CONCLUSION: If any of these varied appearances of cervical lymph nodes are identified on CT or MR, especially in a woman between 20 and 40 years of age, the radiologist should suspect the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma, even in the absence of a thyroid mass.
PURPOSE: To review the varied presentations of metastatic cervical lymph node disease in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: Thirteen cases were retrospectively collected and their clinical, imaging, surgical, and pathologic material was reviewed. In the cases reviewed there was no clinical or imaging evidence of a primary thyroid mass. RESULTS: On CT, metastatic nodes can have multiple discrete calcifications, appear as benign cysts or hyperplastic or hypervascular nodes, or have areas of high attenuation which reflect intranodal hemorrhage and/or high concentrations of thyroglobulin. On MR, the nodes can have low to intermediate T1- and high T2-weighted signal intensities or high T1- and T2-weighted signal intensities, the latter reflecting primarily a high thyroglobulin content. CONCLUSION: If any of these varied appearances of cervical lymph nodes are identified on CT or MR, especially in a woman between 20 and 40 years of age, the radiologist should suspect the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma, even in the absence of a thyroid mass.
Authors: Ji Eun Ahn; Jeong Hyun Lee; Jong Sook Yi; Young Ki Shong; Seok Joon Hong; Deok Hee Lee; Choong Gon Choi; Sang Joon Kim Journal: World J Surg Date: 2008-07 Impact factor: 3.352
Authors: Young Lan Seo; Dae Young Yoon; Sora Baek; You Jin Ku; Young-Soo Rho; Eun-Jae Chung; Sung Hye Koh Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2012-05-05 Impact factor: 5.315