Mandibular metastases from follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland: a case report

A case of metastatic thyroid carcinoma near the left mandibular ramus with a cyst-like appearance on rotational panoramic radiographs is reported. A 55-year-old woman complained of a continuous sense of incongruity for 3–4 years since extraction of the left mandibular third molar. The lesion, with apparent gingival swelling around the left second molar, was painless and was cyst-like in appearance on plain radiographs. On the basis of the radiological findings, a benign odontogenic tumor was suspected, but computed tomography (CT) showed destruction of the lingual cortical bone with soft tissue invasion to the masticator space. The final histopathological diagnosis was metastatic follicular carcinoma of the thyroid gland. When investigating cyst-like radiolucent lesions with thick sclerotic margins and irregular areas on plain radiographs, we recommend using CT to evaluate the effect of the lesion on cortical bone.