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Department of Pathology
Case of the Month June 2002
52 year-old female with a thyroid gland nodule
Dana Wonsettler M. D., Barbara Ducatman M. D.
Patient History
This 52 year old female had a palpable nodule in the superior pole of the thyroid gland for approximately four years duration. She recently began having pain along the left angle of the mandible and left upper neck, which prompted her to seek medical attention. She has no other major symptoms to report; she denies dysphagia or hoarseness. Family history is notable for hypertension and coronary artery disease; no thyroid disease is reported.
Physical exam disclosed a slightly nodular thyroid gland with a dominant nodule in the left superior pole, 2-3cm in size. There was no lymphadenopathy or masses in the lateral neck. The remainder of the physical exam was non-contributory.
An ultrasound of the thyroid gland revealed a discrete nodule in the mid pole of the left thyroid measuring 2.2cm in maximum dimension.
Laboratory studies were as follows:
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Reference Range |
| WBC |
5.5 thou/ul |
4,500 – 11,000 |
| Hgb |
14 g/dL |
13.1 – 17.3 |
| Hct |
41.1% |
39.8 – 50.2 |
| Platelets |
370 thou/ul |
140- 450 |
| Calcium |
9.8 mg/dL |
8.6-10.3 |
| Magnesium |
1.6 mg/dL |
1.6-2.6 |
| Phosphorous |
3.9 mg/dL |
2.7-4.5 |
| Calcitonin |
1807.5 pg/mL |
£ 30 |
Fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed on the nodule. (See Figures 1 and 2)
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Figure 1 (40x) |
Figure 2 (40x) |
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