Metastatic malignant struma ovarii. Two case reports

Abstract

Struma ovarii is an ovarian germ cell tumor consisting mainly of thyroid tissue. Five percent of struma ovarii are malignant, and of these only five percent metastasize. The rarity of this disease has resulted in difficulty in agreeing on treatment regimes and in limited imaging experience. The authors report two cases and highlight the imaging and monitoring difficulties encountered in their management. The authors conclude that I-131 has a role to play both therapeutically and in monitoring these patients, but that biochemical testing is a more reliable indicator of disease status.