Thyroid papillary carcinoma with the ‘snowstorm appearance’: a clinicopathological analysis of three cases

Abstract

This current case report presents the detailed clinicopathological analysis of three patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma, each of which presented with the ‘snowstorm appearance’ on ultrasonography. Ultrasonography of this tumour typically shows a diffusely enlarged thyroid with hypoechoic and heterogeneous internal echoes, and diffusely scattered microcalcifications, which form the ‘snowstorm appearance’. Microscopically, case 1 had a large number of psammoma bodies, infiltration of lymphocytes, formation of lymphatic follicles and extensive squamous metaplasia, leading to the diagnosis of a diffuse sclerosing variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (DSVPTC). Case 2 was diagnosed with follicular papillary thyroid carcinoma. Their tumour had numerous calcifications in the stroma and follicles. Case 3 was diagnosed with a multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma in the background of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Their tumour showed calcification in the stroma and follicles, together with cervical lymph node metastasis. DSVPTC is a rare variant of thyroid papillary carcinoma. It has the ‘snowstorm appearance’ on ultrasound, but this can also be found in follicular papillary carcinoma and multifocal thyroid papillary carcinoma. Papillary thyroid carcinoma with the ‘snowstorm appearance’ has a large number of peripheral lymph nodes metastases, thus requiring radical surgery and postoperative adjuvant therapy.