AI Article Synopsis
- Ectopic intrathyroidal thymus is often misidentified as a thyroid nodule in children, leading to unnecessary surgeries or procedures.
- A follow-up study involving 9 children showed that these thymic inclusions can be detected via ultrasound and appear as hypoechoic areas with distinct internal echoes.
- The study concluded that these inclusions are benign and self-limiting, emphasizing the need for awareness of this condition to avoid misdiagnosis, especially as thyroid ultrasound use increases in pediatric populations.
Article Abstract
Background: Ectopic intrathyroidal thymus has recently been reported in children as a cause of surgery and/or invasive diagnostic procedures when mistaken for a thyroid nodule. Thymus has a unique appearance at ultrasound (US).
Methods: We report a follow-up study (mean 34 months, range 6-84) performed by US on 9 children (5 females) with a mean age of 6.3 ± 3.2 years with intrathyroidal thymic inclusions diagnosed by US as 'incidentalomas'. None has palpable nodules.
Results: Intrathyroidal thymic inclusions appeared on US as a hypoechoic area, with regular linear or punctuate internal hyperechoic echoes. The 2 oldest patients (13 and 17 years) showed a regression in both size and hypoechogenicity of thymic inclusions over time--reflecting the normal thymic involution with advancing age.
Conclusions: Indeed, the lack of progression seen in our 9 patients over a mean time of 34 months confirmed the substantially benign and self-limited nature of this process. The increasing use of thyroid ultrasonography in children may result in an increased detection of intrathyroidal thymic inclusions--an embryologic anomaly that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules in children and adolescents.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000322441 | DOI Listing |
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