Metastases to the thyroid
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Haouimi A, Sharma R, et al. Metastases to the thyroid. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 30 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-33082
rID:
33082
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Mostafa Elfeky had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Mostafa Elfeky's current disclosures
Revisions:
13 times, by
8 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- Metastasis to the thyroid
- Metastases to the thyroid gland
- Metastases to thyroid
- Metastases to thyroid gland
- Metastasis to the thyroid gland
- Metastasis to thyroid
- Metastasis to thyroid gland
- Metastases to the thyroids
Metastases to the thyroid are an uncommon cause of thyroid malignancy.
On this page:
Epidemiology
Metastases to the thyroid represent 1.4-3% of all malignancies 5. In autopsy series, the incidence is ~10% (range 2-24%) 1,5.
Pathology
The most common sites of primary malignancy include (note these will vary by region) 1,2,5:
-
kidney
- renal cell carcinoma (considered most common)
- lung
- head and neck
- breast
- gastrointestinal tract
- skin
- neuroendocrine tumor 6
- cholangiocarcinoma (rare) 7
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
Metastases to the thyroid most commonly have the following features 1:
- hypoechoic lesion with poorly circumscribed margins (80%)
- no calcifications
- concurrent cervical lymphadenopathy (80%)
References
- 1. Yoon JH, Kim EK, Kwak JY et-al. Sonographic features and ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration of metastases to the thyroid gland. Ultrasonography. 2014;33 (1): 40-8. doi:10.14366/usg.13014 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 2. McDougall IR. Thyroid Cancer in Clinical Practice. Springer. ISBN:1846285445. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Takashima S, Takayama F, Wang JC et-al. Radiologic assessment of metastases to the thyroid gland. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2000;24 (4): 539-45. Pubmed citation
- 4. Grainger & Allison's diagnostic radiology essentials. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:0702034487. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 5. Hegerova L, Griebeler ML, Reynolds JP et-al. Metastasis to the thyroid gland: report of a large series from the Mayo Clinic. Am. J. Clin. Oncol. 2015;38 (4): 338-42. doi:10.1097/COC.0b013e31829d1d09 - Pubmed citation
- 6. Yamada H, Hasegawa Y, Mitsudomi T, et al. Neuroendocrine tumor metastasis to the thyroid gland. (2007) International journal of clinical oncology. 12 (1): 63-7. doi:10.1007/s10147-006-0628-8 - Pubmed
- 7. Park MH, Cho JS, Lee JS,et al. Thyroid gland metastasis arising from primary liver cholangiocarcinoma: The first case report involving surgical operation. (2012) International journal of surgery case reports. 3 (2): 78-81. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2011.11.001 - Pubmed
- 8. Feng X, Sheng L. Gastric adenocarcinoma with thyroid metastasis: A case study and literature review. (2013) Oncology letters. 5 (5): 1653-1655. doi:10.3892/ol.2013.1206 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Related articles: Pathology: Thyroid and Parathyroid
-
thyroid
- thyroid inflammatory disease
- thyroid neoplasm
- thyroid nodules
- metabolic
- developmental
- gamuts
- approach
- assessment of thyroid lesions
- postoperative assessment after thyroid cancer surgery
- ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of the thyroid
- parathyroid
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