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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Ultrasound Int Open 2019; 05(02): E60-E64
DOI: 10.1055/a-0943-6553
Original Article
Eigentümer und Copyright ©Georg Thieme Verlag KG 2019

Thyroid Lymphoepithelial Cysts Mimicking Calcified or Solid Nodules on Ultrasonography

Yukie Tsutsuura
1   Kuma Hospital, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kobe, Japan
,
Mitsuyoshi Hirokawa
2   Kuma Hospital, Department of Diagnostic Pathology and Cytology, Kobe, Japan
,
Ayana Suzuki
1   Kuma Hospital, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kobe, Japan
,
Hisashi Ota
1   Kuma Hospital, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kobe, Japan
,
Maki Oshita
1   Kuma Hospital, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Kobe, Japan
,
Mitsuhiro Fukushima
3   Kuma Hospital, Department of Surgery, Kobe, Japan
,
Kaoru Kobayashi
3   Kuma Hospital, Department of Surgery, Kobe, Japan
,
Akira Miyauchi
3   Kuma Hospital, Department of Surgery, Kobe, Japan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 02 August 2018
revised 09 March 2019

accepted 22 May 2019

Publication Date:
01 July 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Purpose

Thyroid lymphoepithelial cysts (TLECs) are rare, and detailed ultrasonography (US) findings have not been reported. This study aimed to examine in detail the US findings for 32 TLECs and to clarify the diagnostic problems associated with them.

Materials and Methods

We examined 32 TLECs resected from 21 patients at the Kuma hospital between January 2008 and April 2018. All patients underwent US before resection. From the patients’ medical records, we retrospectively assessed US reports and photographs of TLECs.

Results

The following four types of TLECs were classified: cystic, mixed solid and cystic, pseudo-solid, and pseudo-calcified types. The incidences were 50.0%, 12.5%, 12.5%, and 25.0%, respectively. Among the four types, pseudo-calcified TLECs were the smallest in size (mean: 7.1 mm). Of 24 nodules that had been interpreted in US reports, 11, 9, 1, 2, and 1 were benign, very low, low, intermediate, and high, respectively. Calcification and intramural solid growth were not identified by histological examination.

Conclusion

We should be aware that approximately half of TLECs do not exhibit US appearances typical of simple cysts, and TLECs may mimic calcified or solid nodules on US, although the reason remains unknown.

Key words

thyroid - ultrasound - lymphoepithelial cyst - calcification
 

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