Follicular adenoma with a papillary architecture originating from an ectopic thyroid gland: a case report

Abstract

Background Follicular adenomas with papillary architecture are rare tumors of thyroid origin and are composed of completely encapsulated follicular cells with a papillary architecture lacking the nuclear characteristics of papillary carcinoma. Herein, we present a case of follicular adenoma with papillary architecture originating from an ectopic thyroid gland, diagnosed from a mass in the submandibular region. Case Presentation A 70-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of a painless left submandibular mass that had been present for one year. The patient underwent left submandibular dissection for therapy and diagnosis. Microscopically, papillary lesions with fibrovascular cores were observed in the interior, and the epithelial cells were cylindrical in shape with eosinophilic cytoplasm, round or oval nuclei, with no pathological features, leading to a diagnosis of papillary carcinoma or follicular carcinoma. The mass was diagnosed as a follicular thyroid adenoma with papillary architecture. This is the first report of a follicular adenoma with a papillary architecture originating from an ectopic thyroid gland. Conclusion This experience suggests that follicular adenoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of ectopic thyroid tumors.