ABSTRACT
A 52-year-old woman presented with a complaint of neck swelling. The patient showed signs of hyperparathyroidism: hypercalcemia, and hypophosphatemia. Tc-99m MIBI dual-phase parathyroid scintigraphy and SPECT revealed increased activity in a regular-bordered, "doughnut"-shaped mass on the left side of the thyroid gland with a central hypoactive area. The cervical ultrasound identified a mixed echoic thyroid nodule with a central large cystic portion, and no parathyroid gland abnormality. Total thyroidectomy and parathyroid exploration was performed. Pathological evaluation of the resected thyroid specimen reported a giant intra-thyroidal hemorrhagic parathyroid adenoma.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Diverticulosis and diverticulitis of appendix vermiformis is a rare diagnosis. Clinical and laboratory examinations do not show a difference between a progressing diverticulitis and simplex appendicitis. But this entity has a higher mortality rate than common appendicitis. OBJECTIVE: This case is presented to illustrate the point that preoperative simple diagnosis of acute appendicitis according to the clinical signs and physical examination may not only be insufficient, but could be fatal in certain circumstances, like appendiceal diverticulitis, if surgical intervention is delayed. CASE REPORT: Here we present a female patient with a history of right lower abdominal pain and fever of 3 days duration. She was diagnosed with acute appendicitis according to the preoperative physical, laboratory, and imaging examinations. The appendiceal diverticulitis accompanying acute appendicitis was an intraoperative finding, which was proven by histopathologic examination. CONCLUSION: It is not easy to document this entity preoperatively. When diagnosed either preoperatively by imaging studies or intraoperatively, the only choice is appendectomy to prevent its serious complications.