Clinical presentation: a 40-year-old woman was sent for aspiration cytology of a thyroid nodule discovered on ultrasonography. The patient was treated for hypothyroidism for 3 years.

Palpation: both thyroids were hard on palpation.

Functional state: hypothyroidism on daily 125 microgram levo-tiroxine (TSH 17.3 mIU/L).

Ultrasonography: the thyroids were minimally hypoechogenic inhomogeneous with circumscribed hypoechogenic and echonormal areas which do not fit a nodule except for an echonormal lesion in the left lobe.

Cytology: was performed from a hypoechogenic lesion in the right and from the echonormal lesion in the left lobe.

Cytological diagnosis: Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Comment: we use the term `nodule` in pathological sense. The term nodule has to be avoided if we have any doubt whether a lesion is a nodule or only a more active focus of thyroiditis or conversely one of the few intact areas of the thyroid not influenced by thyroiditis.