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Different CT imaging findings between histological subtypes in patients with primary thyroid lymphoma

  • Head, Neck and Dental Radiology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluates the differences in CT imaging findings between diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thyroid gland.

Methods

This study included 18 patients with histopathologically confirmed primary thyroid lymphoma (nine with DLBCL and nine with MALT lymphoma). All patients underwent pretreatment CT imaging. We retrospectively reviewed all images and compared the imaging findings between the two pathologies.

Results

The maximum diameter was significantly greater in DLBCL than in MALT lymphoma (67.7 ± 17.0 mm vs. 41.0 ± 27.2 mm, p < 0.01). Diffuse type (78% vs. 11%, p < 0.01), thickening of the isthmus (78% vs. 22%, p < 0.05), invasion of surrounding tissues (78% vs. 0%, p < 0.01), and regional lymphadenopathy (44% vs. 0%, p < 0.05) were more frequent in DLBCL than in MALT lymphoma. However, preserved peripheral thyroid tissue was more frequent in MALT lymphoma than in DLBCL (78% vs. 22%, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The maximum diameter, morphological patterns (diffuse or nodular type), thickening of the isthmus, invasion of surrounding tissues, regional lymphadenopathy, and preserved peripheral thyroid tissue were useful CT imaging features in differentiating DLBCL from MALT lymphoma of the thyroid gland.

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Funding

This study was not funded.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan

    Tomohiro Ando, Hiroki Kato & Masayuki Matsuo

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  1. Tomohiro Ando
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  2. Hiroki Kato
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  3. Masayuki Matsuo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroki Kato.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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For this type of study, formal consent is not required. The requirement for informed consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of this study.

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Ando, T., Kato, H. & Matsuo, M. Different CT imaging findings between histological subtypes in patients with primary thyroid lymphoma. Radiol med 127, 191–198 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-022-01447-y

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