Intrathyroidal ectopic thymus in children: a sonographic survey.
Med Ultrason
; 19(2): 179-184, 2017 Apr 22.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28440352
ABSTRACT
AIMS:
Intrathyroidal ectopic thymus (IET) is being increasingly reported in the radiology literature. Most of the reports are of individual cases or small series and prevalence and natural course of the pathology is not well known. The purpose of this study is to establish the prevalence of IET in children and report long term follow-up results. MATERIAL ANDMETHODS:
In 180 children who were examined by ultrasound (US) for other reasons, 7 patients were indentified with IET. Together with the other seven children who were already under follow-up for IET (diagnosed using US criteria), these 14 patients were followed up with US for 30 months. Size, shape, location, echotexture and internal echoes of the lesions were evaluated.RESULTS:
There were 16 lesions in 14 children. The most common appearance was a fusiform hypoechoic lesion, with punctate and linear internal echoes and well-defined but slightly irregular borders located posteriorly in the lower thirds of the thyroid. In follow-up, there were no changes in echotexture, shape or border. In 3 patients, the lesion became slightly smaller, in a 10-year-old boy slightly larger, and in an 11-year old boy the lesion disappeared. In a patient with bilateral lesions, one lesion slightly decreased in size.CONCLUSIONS:
IET in children may be more common than thought. Its growth reflects that of a normal thymus. Awareness of this entity is important in order not to misdiagnose them, especially as papillary cancer, and to prevent unnecessary interventions.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Thymus Gland
/
Thyroid Diseases
/
Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
/
Choristoma
/
Ultrasonography
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Med Ultrason
Journal subject:
DIAGNOSTICO POR IMAGEM
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: