[Unusual thyroid lesion]

ABSTRACT

The incidence of aspergillosis has increased during the past decade with the widespread use of aggressive chemotherapy and immunosuppressive agents. The lungs are the most common primary site of infection. Thyroid involvement is rare, usually asymptomatic, and difficult to make an ante-mortem diagnosis. Our aim is to discuss the epidemiological characteristics, the diagnosis and the histogenesis of this unusual thyroid lesion. Case report A 13-year-old girl, with a past history of lung disease was hospitalised for cervical pseudo-tumoral lesion. Cervical scintigraphy was taken and showed abnormal uptake in the thyroid. A resected specimen of the thyroid showed an extensive abscess with diffuse aspergillus hyphae infiltration. Treatment with amphotericine B was initiated and the evolution was unfavorable. Aspergillus infection frequently disseminates to a variety of organs, thyroid involvement is rare and its prognosis depends on early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapeutic measures: