Mixed laryngocele mimicking thyroid nodule

J Ultrasound. 2022 Sep;25(3):733-736. doi: 10.1007/s40477-021-00614-7. Epub 2022 Jan 18.

Abstract

Laryngocele is defined as a dilation of the laryngeal saccule forming an air sac. Some differential diagnoses for laryngocele have been reported. The aim of the present paper was to describe a case of a patient referred for the evaluation a suspected thyroid nodule that was subsequently diagnosed as a mixed laryngocele. A 31-year-old male with no clinical manifestations was referred by an endocrinologist to undergo Doppler ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration biopsy due to a preliminary ultrasonographic diagnosis of a nodule apparently in the thyroid. The diagnosis of laryngocele was raised considering the cytopathological analysis and imaging exam. Computed tomography of the neck confirmed this hypothesis. The patient was counseled to consult a surgeon, but, up to the end of this report, continued asymptomatic and in follow-up. We report a mixed laryngocele with different clinical behavior, showing that laryngocele may appear to be another entity and drawing the attention of clinicians to imaging similarities.

Keywords: Combined laryngocele; Computed tomography; Diagnosis; Fine-needle biopsy; Nodules; Ultrasound.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Humans
  • Laryngocele* / diagnostic imaging
  • Laryngocele* / pathology
  • Larynx* / diagnostic imaging
  • Larynx* / pathology
  • Male
  • Thyroid Nodule* / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Nodule* / pathology
  • Ultrasonography