Ectopic thyroid of the pancreas A case report and literature review

Rationale: Ectopic thyroid is commonly found in the neck region. Intra-abdominal ectopic thyroid is extremely rare, with only 2 cases reported in the pancreatic region. Very few reports have described detailed imaging findings of intra-abdominal ectopic thyroid. Patient concerns: A 73-year-old woman with aggravated recurrent right upper quadrant pain was found to have a retroperitoneal mass at the head of pancreas. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a well-defined, high attenuated (56HU) mass measured of 60 x 50mm in diameter, that exhibited heterogeneous contrast enhancement throughout the 3 phases. Diagnosis: Neuroendocrine neoplasm was suspected. Interventions: Following discussions with the patient, she refused fine needle aspiration cytology; however, she underwent total resection of the mass and had an uneventful clinical course. Histopathological examination showed thyroid tissue with TTF-1 and TGB positivity, and BRAF negativity, indicating a benign variant. Outcomes: The patient had no signs of relapse with normal thyroid hormone levels after 2 years of follow up. Lessons: Ectopic thyroid tissue should be considered when patients present with similar imaging findings in abdomen. We review all reported cases of abdominal ectopic thyroid tissue to provide specific evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of this rare entity.