Neck nodular lesions mimicking thyroid tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Neck nodular lesions may derive from several different tissues, often mimicking thyroid tumor in the preoperative examination.

METHODS: We described three patients admitted in 2012 to the Department of Endocrine Surgery in Wrocław with nodular lesion in the neck area mimicking tumor of the thyroid gland.

RESULTS: In the first patient with a tumor in projection on the isthmus and the left thyroid lobe, neurilemmoma was discovered in the histopathological exams. In the second one with the suspicion of papillary thyroid carcinoma, adenoid cyst carcinoma was identified in the pathological examination. In the third case, suspected to being a recurrent or split goiter, non-specific, chronic lymphonodulitis was recognized in the final histology.

CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate and careful diagnostics of a nodular lesion in the neck before surgery has crucial significance for choosing optimal method of surgical treatment which has great influence on mortality rate and reducing complications.