Subacute thyroiditis (de Quervain) presenting as a painless "cold" nodule.
A 49-yr-old woman presented with a solid, painless, nontender nodule in the left thyroid lobe. Thyroid scintigraphy revealed a solitary "cold" area in the left lobe and a slightly decreased 24-hr radioactive iodine thyroid uptake (9%). Although there were no specific clinical or biochemical signs suggesting thyroiditis needle aspiration cytology showed the presence of a subacute thyroiditis. Approximately 1 mo later the entire thyroid gland was affected leading to a completely suppressed thyroid radioiodine uptake and elevated serum thyroid hormone concentrations. This case illustrates that in the early phase of the disease, subacute thyroiditis may present as a solitary, painless, "cold" nodule and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of such lesions.
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012974:Sodium Iodide; D013968:Thyroiditis, Subacute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D012974:Sodium Iodide