Sarcoidosis of the thyroid gland and concomitant Hürthle cell adenoma: Case report

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder, characterized by the presence of noncaseating epithelioid-cell granulomas. The etiology remains unclear, although it is recognized as a disease of activated T lymphocytes. There is a diverse range of possible presentations with respiratory, gastrointestinal, reproductive, endocrine and other complications. The thyroid is an uncommon site of the disease with only 4% incidence according to some autopsy series. We present a case of a 55-year-old female patient with sarcoidosis of the thyroid gland and concomitant Hürthle cell adenoma. Upon performing a routine thyroid scintigraphy, a cold nodule has been observed. The diagnosis of the underlying disease was established by correlating the anamnesis data, patient's clinical history, fine needle aspiration biopsy and pathological examination of the thyroidectomy specimen. To our knowledge, the association has rarely been previously reported, indicating that thyroid involvement should be suspected in sarcoidosis patients who present with cold nodules.

Keywords

• sarcoidosis
• thyroid gland
• hürthle cell adenoma