24682              CALCIFIED CYSTIC THYROID ADENOMA

This 88 year old woman had a history of weight loss and anorexia, with a microcytic anaemia.  She had a multinodular goitre which had been present for a number of years and had not produced any pressure symptoms.  She was not extensively investigated due to her age.

The specimen consists of the larynx, the trachea and the thyroid.  The thyroid is replaced by a very large rounded encapsulated adenomatous mass measuring 10 x 8 x 4 cms.  The cut surface shows large areas of hyaline sclerosis, others of cellular degeneration and some recent haemorrhage.  There are also several areas of calcification.  The trachea (seen of the back of the specimen) is somewhat flattened by the pressure of the overlying thyroid mass.