title: Tuberculosis of the thyroid gland: two case reports.
abstract: Tuberculosis of the thyroid gland is a rare entity even in countries like India where tuberculosis is endemic. The patients may present with thyroid swelling, inflammation and very rarely thyroid dysfunction. Caseous necrosis and epithelioid cell granulomas on fine-needle aspiration cytology and histopathological examination are diagnostic. We present two cases of thyroid gland tuberculosis. One patient had subclinical thyrotoxicosis with presentation mimicking acute bacterial thyroiditis. The other patient had a solitary thyroid nodule with normal thyroid function. Involvement of other organs was absent in both cases. Proper diagnosis may avoid unnecessary surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism , Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research/SSKM Hospital , Kolkata, West Bengal , India.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baidya
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism , Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research/SSKM Hospital , Kolkata, West Bengal , India.
authors.forename: Arijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singha
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism , Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research/SSKM Hospital , Kolkata, West Bengal , India.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhattacharjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology , Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research/SSKM Hospital , Kolkata, West Bengal , India.
authors.forename: Bibhas Saha
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Dalal