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Metastasis of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma masquerading as primary temporal bone tumour

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2011

S C Hugh
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
D Enepekides
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
J Wong
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomic Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
R Yeung
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
V Y W Lin*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Vincent Lin, Dept of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Room M1-102, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM4N 3M5 Fax: + 1 416 480 5761 E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Objective:

We describe the first published case of papillary thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the temporal bone.

Case report:

A 64-year-old woman presented with a large left temporal bone mass centred in the jugular foramen, initially thought to be a paraganglioma or schwannoma. She was simultaneously being investigated for a left-sided thyroid nodule, which was found to be unremarkable on repeated fine needle aspiration cytology. A biopsy of the temporal bone mass indicated that it was of thyroid origin. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy, which enabled a final diagnosis of follicular-variant papillary thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to the temporal bone.

Conclusion:

Although biopsy is not the usual management for many types of temporal bone mass, pathological investigation is recommended if the tumour has an atypical growth rate, location, spread and/or radiological features. Metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma to the skull base is extremely rare, and correct diagnosis is essential in order to pursue an effective treatment plan.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2011

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