Malignant presternal goitre

Abstract

Goitres usually enlarge and descend caudad into the substernal space and are not palpable. We report on a patient whose goitre spread downward but anterior to the sternum. The thyroid mass was subsequently removed and was proven to be a papillary thyroid carcinoma. The mechanism by which a presternal goitre develops is probably due to invasion and erosion of the strap muscles and the cervical linea alba. The clinical implication of this presentation is complete extirpation of the presternal goitre with a cuff of the strap muscles.