Summary:
A case of amyloid goiter in a 73-year-old man with systemic amyloidosis complicating long
lasting rheumatoid arthritis is reported. The thyroid gland was massively infiltrated with
amyloid and contained foci of fat tissue and epithelial solid cell nests. Incidentally, a cyst lined
by squamous epithelium, with small amount of lymphocytes in the subepithelial stroma was
found. This cyst fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of a lymphoepithelial cyst presumably of
branchiogenic origin. The herein described case of simultaneous occurrence of branchiogenic
cyst and amyloid goiter represents, to our best knowledge, a unique coexistence of these two
entities. The possible relationship between these lesions and their differential diagnosis is discussed.
Key words:
thyroid gland – amyloid goiter – lipomatosis – solid cell nests – lymphoepithelial cyst
– branchiogenic cyst
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