A neuroendocrine tumor, paraganglioma presenting as plunging goiter

This paper presents two rare case reports with one common feature. Patients with thyroid nodules, who had undergone a comprehensive clinical evaluation based on standard algorithms according to their preoperative diagnosis of “Multinodular goiter, grade II”, were scheduled for surgical treatment (thyroidectomy). Postoperative morphological examination revealed, however, the extremely rare neuroendocrine tumor - paraganglioma - that simulated multinodular goiter with tracheal compression. Our analysis of these clinical cases showed common systematic mistakes that were committed during conventional, standardized preoperative examination, resulting in certain difficulties in the treatment of these patients