Primary thyroid lymphoma: role of ultrasound-guided needle biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the sonographic findings of primary thyroid lymphoma and evaluate the role of ultrasound-guided biopsy in diagnosing thyroid lymphoma.


METHODS
This study included 6 patients (age range, 56-72 years; mean, 62.5 years). We searched the database of our institution and retrospectively collected data on the thyroid lymphomas that were confirmed pathologically. All of the sonograms and medical records were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
All 6 patients had an enlarged neck mass and underwent ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The most notable sonographic feature of primary thyroid lymphoma was a marked hypoechoic mass compared with the residual thyroid tissue. Among the 6 patients with a diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma, 3 (50%) had a diagnosis of lymphoma by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Final pathologic results were obtained by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (3/6 patients [50%]) or thyroidectomy (3/6 [50%]). Most patients with thyroid lymphoma (5/6 [83.3%]) were found to have diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and were treated with chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. In 1 patient with follicular lymphoma, diagnosis and treatment were accomplished by total thyroidectomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy can be a safe and accurate method for diagnosing thyroid lymphoma and may be a suitable replacement for diagnostic thyroid surgery.
Kwak
Jin Young
JY
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, 134 Sinchondong, Seodaemungu, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Kim
Eun-Kyung
EK
Ko
Kyung Hee
KH
Yang
Woo Ik
WI
Kim
Min Jung
MJ
Son
Eun Ju
EJ
Oh
Ki Keun
KK
Kim
Ki Whang
KW
D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*