Hepatopulmonary metastases from papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) accounts for the majority of PTC cases. However, concurrent pulmonary and hepatic metastases of PTMC are rarely seen. Here, we present a patient with coexisting liver and lung metastases from PTMC. CASE SUMMARY: We describe a 26-year-old woman with PTMC with multiple concurrent metastases. After 3 d of unexplained fever, she was admitted to our hospital. Her thyroid functional tests were abnormal. Her positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination showed increased fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) metabolism and space-occupying lesions in the left lobe of the thyroid. Additionally, PET/MRI images revealed multiple nodules in the lung and liver with increased FDG metabolism. Chest computer tomography (CT) showed multiple pulmonary metastases. Abdominal ultrasound and liver MRI showed multiple space-occupying lesions in the liver. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection. Postoperative pathological analysis showed a papillary microcarcinoma multiplex in the left lobe of the thyroid. A diagnosis of hepatopulmonary metastases from papillary thyroid microcarcinoma was made. The patient was given iodine-131 treatment one year after the surgery. She recovered well after the operation, and the incision healed well. After discharge, she was treated with oral levothyroxine sodium tablets, and symptomatic and supportive treatments were also given to promote radioactive excretion and prevent bone marrow suppression by iodine-131 treatment. CONCLUSION: Since patients with thyroid cancer concurrent with hepatopulmonary metastases have rarely been reported, our case will highlight the clinical and pathological profiles of these patients.