A thyroid thriller: acute transient and symmetric goiter after fine-needle aspiration of a solitary thyroid nodule.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of a patient who developed an acute and transient, tender, and bilateral swelling of the thyroid that occurred during fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of a solitary nodule in the left thyroid lobe; to add accurate ultrasound measurements to support our clinical observation; and to analyze a possible underlying mechanism of this rare condition. RESULTS AND CLINICAL FOLLOW-UP: The calculated thyroid volume increased from 23 to 57 mL before and at 4 minutes, respectively, after the needle aspiration, but the thyroid volume returned to prediagnostic level after 4 hours. Cytology, serum calcitonin, and histology were concordant, and the nodule was diagnosed as a medullary thyroid carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry was positive for calcitonin, chromogranin, and the very potent vasodilator calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP).


CONCLUSIONS
This is a rare case of acute and transient thyroid swelling during a common procedure as FNA of a thyroid nodule. This is the first case with documented acute volume expansion quantified by ultrasound measurements supporting our clinical observation, which is in accordance with two historical case reports. The clinical and ultrasound data support the hypothesis of vasodilation as the underlying mechanism, possibly evoked by the release of the vasodilator CGRP.
Van den Bruel
Annick
A
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, AZ Brugge, Brugge, Belgium. Annick.vandenbruel@azbrugge.be
Roelandt
Philip
P
Drijkoningen
Maria
M
Hudders
Jean-Pierre
JP
Decallonne
Brigitte
B
Bouillon
Roger
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D002864:Chromogranins / Q000378:metabolism; D006042:Goiter / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology
D002864:Chromogranins; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide