Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis - Figure 11. Atypical cells in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It is a very common situation. Both the thyroiditis and the hormonal dysfunction cause variation in shape and size of follicular cells. The degree of atypia in Hashimoto's thyroiditis may reach that observed in anaplastic carcinoma. The presence of lymphocytes and oxyphilic metaplasia are the main clues to avoid overinterpretation of atypia. Nevertheless, the cytological pattern itself may be suspicious. In such cases the involvement of sonographic pattern may be of help.

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