Intraluminal extension of papillary thyroid carcinoma into the Internal Jugular Vein; a case report.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), being the most common thyroid malignancy, is a slow-growing tumor and is usually limited to the thyroid. Extra thyroid extension is uncommon; besides, invasion to the vasculature seems to be extremely rare and usually indicates aggressive nature of the disease.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 40-year-old lady who referred with a palpable neck mass a month after total thyroidectomy which its histopathologic examination revealed follicular variant of PTC; the same variant as prior thyroidectomy. Preoperative ultrasonography failed to comment on the intravascular component of the mass. Surgical procedure confirmed a mass attaching and infiltrating to the internal jugular vein, which turned out to be persistent disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of this entity is important for surgeons, oncologists and radiologist as it can influence patient management.