Ultrasonographic Features and the Diagnostic Role of Core Needle Biopsy at Metastatic Breast Cancer in the Thyroid gland: A Case Report

Abstract

Metastases to the thyroid gland have rarely been reported in clinical settings, and the thyroid gland is an uncommon site for breast carcinoma metastasis. We report a case of a 64-year-old breast cancer patient diagnosed with metastatic breast carcinoma in the thyroid gland after performing ultrasonography (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) and subsequent total thyroidectomy. On US, the thyroid lesion appeared to be mildly enlarged with multiple internal hypoechoic lines and a few microcalcifications without mass formation. Under US-guidance, CNB was performed by targeting the area with microcalcifications and subsequently diagnosed as metastatic breast carcinoma. Total thyroidectomy revealed that the patient had metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with lymphatic spread involving both lobes and the isthmus of the thyroid gland. Although the thyroid gland is an uncommon metastatic site, the unusual features of thyroid metastasis can be observed on US; thus, US-guided CNB effectively aids the diagnosis of thyroid metastasis.

Keywords

• breast neoplasms
• metastasis
• thyroid gland
• ultrasonography
• core needle biopsy