Abstract
Pharyngoesophageal diverticulum is a rare disease characterized by an alimentary tract pouch or a circular dilated cavity arising from the esophagus. Barium swallow and endoscopy are the gold standard for the diagnosis of pharyngoesophageal diverticulum. However, routine ultrasonography can be employed as a noninvasive alternative. We report two patients with cervical esophageal diverticulum diagnosed by ultrasonography. It has been reported in the literature that pharyngoesophageal diverticulum resembles a thyroid or parathyroid nodule on ultrasonogram. We summarize the ultrasonic findings of pharyngoesophageal diverticulum to avoid unnecessary fine-needle aspirate biopsy or surgical treatment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Nehring P, Krasnodebski IW. Zenker’s diverticulum: aetiopathogenesis, symptoms and diagnosis. Comparison of operative methods. Prz Gastroenterol. 2013;8:284–9.
Chea CH, Siow SL, Khor TH, et al. Killian–Jamieson diverticulum: the rarer cervical esophageal diverticulum. Med J Malaysia. 2011;66:73–4.
Singaporewalla RM, Mukherjee JJ, Thamboo TP, et al. Pharyngoesophageal diverticulum resembling a thyroid nodule on ultrasound. Head Neck. 2011;33:1800–3.
Kim J, Kim EK, Park CS. Incidentally found pharyngoesophageal diverticulum on ultrasonography. Yonsei Med J. 2002;43:271–3.
Li B, Zheng XY, Feng LZ. One case of Zenker’s diverticulum misdiagnosed as thyroid nodules on ultrasonography. Zhong hua Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2012;47:770–1.
Kim HK, Lee JI, Jang HW, et al. Characteristics of Killian–Jamieson diverticula mimicking a thyroid nodule. Head Neck. 2012;34:599–603.
Ko HM, Boerner SL, Geddle WR. Fine-needle aspiration of a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum mimicking a calcified thyroid nodule on ultrasongraphy. Diagn Cytopathol. 2013;49:752–3.
Kim MH, Kim EK, Kwak JY, et al. Bilateral Killian–Jamieson diverticula incidentally found on thyroid ultrasonography. Thyroid. 2010;20:1041–2.
LiXin J, Bing H, Zhigang W, et al. Sonographic diagnosis features of Zenker diverticulum. Eur J Radiol. 2011;80:e13–9.
Shanker BA, Davidov T, Young J, et al. Zenker’s diverticulum presenting as thyroid nodule. Thyroid. 2010;20:439–40.
Pang JC, Chong S, Na HI, et al. Killian–Jamieson diverticulum mimicking a suspicious thyroid nodule : sonographic diagnosis. J Clin Ultrasound. 2009;37:528–30.
Walts AE, Braunstein G. Fine-needle aspiration of a paraesophageal diverticulum masquerading as thyroid nodule. Diagn Cytopathol. 2006;34:843–5.
Kwak JY, Kim EK. Sonographic findings of Zenker diverticula. J Ultrasound Med. 2006;25:639–42.
Rekhtman N, Rekhtman K, Sheth S, et al. A 62-year-old woman with a suspected thyroid nodule. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005;129:1497–8.
Mercer D, Blachar A, Khafif A, et al. Real-time sonography of Killian–Jamieson diverticulum and its differentiation from thyroid nodules. J Ultrasound Med. 2005;24:557–60.
DeFriend DE, Dubbins PA. Sonographic demonstration of a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum. J Clin Ultrasound. 2000;28:485–7.
Komatsu M, Komatsu T, Inove K. Ultrasonography of Zenker’s diverticulum: special reference to differential diagnosis from thyroid nodules. Eur J Ultrasound. 2000;11:123–5.
Mimatsu K, et al. Killian–Jamieson diverticula presenting synchronously with thyroid adenoma. Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2013;7:188–94.
Oertel YC, Khedmati F, Bernanke AD. Esophageal diverticulum presenting as a thyroid nodule and diagnosed on fine-needle aspiration. Thyroid. 2009;19:1121–3.
Conflict of interest
Ping Zhou, Yang Shao, and Yong-feng Zhao declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical standard
All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, China, and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008 (5). Informed consent was obtained from the patients. The article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Shao, Y., Zhou, P. & Zhao, Y. Ultrasonographic findings of pharyngoesophageal diverticulum: two case reports and review of literature. J Med Ultrasonics 42, 553–557 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-015-0631-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-015-0631-7