Papillary Carcinoma
Papillary Carcinoma Yuri E. Nikiforov N. Paul Ohori DEFINITION Papillary carcinoma is a well-differentiated malignant tumor of thyroid follicular cells that shows a set of characteristic nuclear features. Although a…
Rare Primary Thyroid Nonepithelial Tumors and Tumor-Like Conditions
Rare Primary Thyroid Nonepithelial Tumors and Tumor-Like Conditions Lester D.R. Thompson PRIMARY ANGIOSARCOMA Primary thyroid gland angiosarcoma is a malignant tumor of endothelial cell differentiation. This generally rare thyroid tumor…
Rare Primary Thyroid Epithelial Tumors
Rare Primary Thyroid Epithelial Tumors Lester D.R. Thompson MUCOEPIDERMOID CARCINOMA Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is a malignant epithelial neoplasm. By definition, an MEC contains a combination of mucinous and epidermoid components.1…
Medullary Carcinoma
Medullary Carcinoma Paul W. Biddinger DEFINITION Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a malignant tumor of the thyroid gland that exhibits C-cell differentiation. Synonyms include C-cell carcinoma, solid carcinoma, solid amyloidotic carcinoma,…
Primary Thyroid Lymphoma
Primary Thyroid Lymphoma Lester D.R. Thompson Christine Garcia Roth DEFINITION Primary thyroid gland lymphoma is an uncommon neoplasm that encompasses a heterogeneous group of diseases.1,2,3,4 Primary thyroid gland lymphomas are…
Principles of Molecular Diagnostics in Thyroid Samples
Principles of Molecular Diagnostics in Thyroid Samples Marina N. Nikiforova GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Molecular diagnostics utilize the basic dogma of molecular biology that describes the relationship among DNA,…
Follicular Carcinoma
Follicular Carcinoma Yuri E. Nikiforov N. Paul Ohori DEFINITION Follicular carcinoma is a malignant well-differentiated tumor of thyroid follicular cells that lacks the diagnostic nuclear features of papillary carcinoma. When…
Anaplastic (Undifferentiated) Carcinoma
Anaplastic (Undifferentiated) Carcinoma Yuri E. Nikiforov Raja R. Seethala DEFINITION Anaplastic carcinoma is a highly aggressive malignant thyroid tumor composed of undifferentiated cells that demonstrate immunohistochemical or ultrastructural features of…
Tumors Metastatic to the Thyroid
Tumors Metastatic to the Thyroid Lester D.R. Thompson DEFINITION Tumors developed in the thyroid gland as a result of lymphatic or hematogenous spread from distant sites are considered metastatic disease…
Gross Examination
Gross Examination Raja R. Seethala Yuri E. Nikiforov INTRODUCTION An understanding of the normal surgical thyroid anatomy is a requisite for accurate gross characterization of lesions. The fundamentals of thyroid…
