thyroid lipomatosis

Thyroid lipomatosis is a rare disease hither to described in only 20 patients. It is characterized by diffuse infiltration of mature adipose tissue in the thyroid gland, resulting in its progressive enlargement and potentially to the development of compressive symptoms.

Thyroid lipomatosis is a rare, benign disease characterized by the enlargement of the thyroid produced by mature adipose tissue diffusely infiltrating the stroma.

The amount of adipose tissue in the thyroid can be increased in certain disorders, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, amyloid goiter containing adipose infiltration, heterotopic adipocytes, intrathyroidal thymus, and parathyroid lipoma.

Some malignant thyroid lesions, such as encapsulated papillary thyroid carcinoma and thyroid liposarcoma or benign lesions, such as thyroid adenolipoma or thyroid lipoma, can also be associated with increased intrathyroidal adipose content.

Thyroid lipomas are characterized by the presence of a capsule, which is absent in diffuse thyroid lipomatosis and is the main differentiating feature.

Open references

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4870724/