Papillary thyroid carcinoma in a 7-year-old boy presenting with a goitre without microcalcifications and enlarged cervical lymph nodes.

The most frequent type of thyroid malignancy in children is papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), which usually presents as a thyroid nodule, but may also present as a diffuse infiltration with microcalcifications. Herein, we report the case of an uncommon presentation of a PTC in a 7-year-old boy. The child was referred for a goiter with cervical lymphadenopathies. Ultrasonography showed a hypervascularised goiter without microcalcifications but with numerous bilateral cervical nodular formations. A lymph node biopsy revealed metastatic thyroid cancer, hence a total thyroidectomy and complete neck dissection were performed. Histopathology confirmed a PTC. Ablative I, 30 mCi was performed 4 months postsurgery. At the end of this treatment, a metastatic lung nodule was identified. Since then, another three ablative I treatments have been administered. Thyroid cancers presenting as a diffuse infiltration without microcalcifications are rare. In the presence of lymphadenopathies, thyroid cancer needs to be suspected, even without microcalcifications.