Korean J Radiol.  2006 Jun;7(2):149-151. 10.3348/kjr.2006.7.2.149.

Sonographic Detection of Intrathyroidal Branchial Cleft Cyst: A Case Report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ekkim@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

We report here on an extremely rare case of an intrathyroidal branchial cleft cyst. Intrathyroidal branchial cleft cyst is rare disease entity and it has nonspecific findings on sonography, so the diagnosis of the lesion is very difficult. However, during aspiration, if pus-like materials are aspirated from a thyroid cyst, we should consider the possibility of intrathyroidal branchial cleft cyst in the differential diagnosis.

Keyword

Thyroid cyst, Branchial cleft cyst, Branchial cleft anomaly, Neck mass, Ultrasound

MeSH Terms

Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology/*ultrasonography
Thyroid Gland/ultrasonography
Humans
Female
Diagnosis, Differential
Branchioma/pathology/*ultrasonography
Biopsy, Fine-Needle
Adult

Figure

  • Fig. 1 A, B. Transverse (A) sonography of thyroid glnad shows a well-defined, oval shaped, anechoic mass (white arrow) at the posterior aspect of mid portion of the right thyroid gland. During sonography-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy for the cystic lesion, thick yellowish pus like fluid was aspirated. In longitudinal sonography (B), a small 0.5 cm sized hypoechoic lesion (white arrow) inferior to the cystic lesion was confirmed as papillary carcinoma. C. A cystic lesion is located on the thyroid surface, measuring about 1×0.8 cm. The inner linings are ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium without smooth muscle or a cartilagenous component (H & E stain, ×100).


Reference

1. Mandell DL. Head and neck anomalies related to the brachial apparatus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2000. 33:1309–1332.
2. Haba R, Miki H, Kobayashi S, Kushida Y, Saoo K, Hirakawa E, et al. Intrathyroidal branchial cleft-like cyst in chronic thyroiditis. Pathol Int. 2000. 50:897–900.
3. Randal SW, Dianne CD. Courtney MT, editor. Head and neck. Sabiston textbook of surgery: the biological basis of morden surgical practice. 2000. 16th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders;546.
4. Ahuja AT, King AD, Metreweli C. Second branchial cleft cysts : variability of sonographic appearances in adult cases. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000. 21:315–319.
5. Liberman M, Kay S, Emil S, Flageole H, Nguyen LT, Tewfik TL, et al. Ten years of experience with third and fourth branchial remnants. J Pediatr Surg. 2002. 37:685–690.
6. Ahuja AT, Chang AR, To E, Pang P, Ching AS, King AD, et al. Intrathyroidal lymphoepithelial (branchial) cyst: sonographic features of a rare lesion. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000. 21:1340–1343.
7. Smith MD, Serpell JW, Morgan JL, Cheng MS. Fine needle aspiration in the management of benign thyroid cysts. ANZ J Surg. 2003. 73:477–479.
8. Johnston R, Wei JL, Maddalozzo J. Intra-thyroid thyroglossal duct cyst as a differential diagnosis of thyroid nodule. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2003. 67:1027–1030.
Full Text Links
  • KJR
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr