Parapharyngeal metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case diagnosed by thyroglobulin measurement in peroral fine-needle aspiration of a cystic metastatic lymph node.

We report a case of a parapharyngeal cystic metastatic lymph node arising from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Parapharyngeal metastases arising from PTC are rare and correct diagnosis of the parapharyngeal mass before surgery is difficult. In this case, the diagnosis of a parapharyngeal mass was made pre-operatively by thyroglobulin measurement in peroral fine-needle aspiration with negative cytology.