Case report: metastatic renal carcinoid to the thyroid diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy

Diagn Cytopathol. 2007 Sep;35(9):597-600. doi: 10.1002/dc.20706.

Abstract

We report a case of primary renal carcinoid arising in a horseshoe kidney. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case to be reported in the cytology literature, which has been diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA). A 32-year-old male, presented to the Emory University Hospital, with a renal mass arising in a horseshoe kidney; along with a thyroid mass. FNA of the renal mass resulted in an initial diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma, unclassified. A thyroid aspiration was attempted later, and revealed a neuroendocrine morphology. This was compared with the renal aspiration and both of them were found to have similar morphology. With the help of immunostains, a diagnosis of renal carcinoid tumor metastatic to the thyroid was made. Thus, we demonstrate that renal carcinoid, being a rare entity, can pose a diagnostic challenge.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle / methods
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / secondary*
  • Humans
  • Kidney / abnormalities*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / pathology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / secondary*