Sonographic findings of tuberculous thyroiditis in a patient with Behçet's syndrome

Abstract

We report a case of tuberculous thyroiditis in a woman with Behçet's syndrome. The initial physical examination in May 1998 revealed multiple soft, nontender, mobile lymph nodes, each measuring less than 1 cm, in the left lower internal jugular chain. Sonography performed in February 2000 showed multiple small (< 1 cm), oval lymph nodes, each with an intact fatty hilum, in the left lower internal jugular chain; the thyroid gland appeared normal. Follow-up sonography 6 months later showed multifocal, heterogeneous, hypoechoic lesions with ill-defined margins in both lobes of the thyroid and several small, oval lymph nodes, each with an intact fatty hilum, in the left lower internal jugular chain. Fine-needle aspiration was performed on the largest thyroid lesion, and cytologic analysis of the aspirate revealed a small number of epithelioid histiocytes in a necrotic background, which was suggestive of tuberculosis. Follow-up sonography after 3 months of antituberculosis chemotherapy showed that the thyroid lesions had resolved.