Atypical subacute thyroiditis and functional thyroid adenoma: Case report

Abstract

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), also known as DeQuervain's or granulomatous thyroiditis is an inflammatory condition of the thyroid gland, which is usually fully affected. Severe pain and tenderness in the thyroid bed occur typically and are followed by weakness, fatigue, pain in muscles and joints, and light to moderate fever and symptoms of thyrotoxicosis - nervousness, sweating and rapid heartbeat and trembling. Temporary elevated serum thyroxine, suppressed TSH and elevated serum markers of inflammation in the acute phase are pathognomonic for the SAT, with diffusely absent binding of radioactive iodine or technetiumpertechnetate in the thyroid gland due to thyrocytes destruction. Rare cases of atypical SAT - painless or with minimal pain, SAT limited to one thyroid lobe or focal thyroiditis, are reported in literature. We report a rare case of a minimally painful SAT associated with functional adenoma in the right lobe of the thyroid gland, which was, in thyrotoxic, acute phase, scintigraphicaly presented as toxic adenoma, in fact representing a functional adenoma tissue unaffected by destructive thyroiditis.