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. 2015:2015:243527.
doi: 10.1155/2015/243527. Epub 2015 May 7.

An Unusual Neck Mass: A Case of a Parathyroid Cyst and Review of the Literature

Anand Goomany  1 , Amy Rafferty  1 , Ian Smith  1
Affiliations

An Unusual Neck Mass: A Case of a Parathyroid Cyst and Review of the Literature

Anand Goomany et al. Case Rep Surg. 2015.

Abstract

Parathyroid cysts (PC) are an unusual cause of neck swellings. The majority are nonfunctioning and prove to be a diagnostic challenge given their nonspecific physical and radiological characteristics. This is compounded by their rare occurrence, leading them to be overlooked in the differential diagnosis of neck lumps. Imaging techniques fail to determine the origin of these lesions, but a preoperative diagnosis can be achieved by fine-needle aspiration and measurement of cystic fluid C-terminal parathyroid hormone levels. Treatment of nonfunctioning cysts remains controversial and includes needle aspiration, injection of sclerosant, or surgical excision. We present a case of a 44-year-old female presenting with an asymptomatic anterior neck swelling, diagnosed postoperatively as a parathyroid cyst.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
T2-weighted coronal MRI demonstrating a pyramidal shaped cystic lesion in continuity with the lower portions of both thyroid lobes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
T2-weighted axial MRI showing the lesion's pretracheal position.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Parathyroid cyst intimately related to the inferior aspect of the thyroid gland, arising from the right inferior parathyroid gland.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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