Riedel’s Thyroiditis in an Ethiopian Patient

Abstract

Riedel’s thyroiditis is a very rare fibro inflammatory disease of the thyroid gland of an unknown etiology. We describe this rare disease in a 40 year old Ethiopian woman who presented with a painful anterior neck swelling.

With a suspicion of thyroid gland malignancy, the patient underwent a subtotal thyroidectomy. The histopathologic examination showed dense fibrous replacement of the thyroid gland and a diagnosis of Riedel’s thyroiditis was confirmed. This is the first documented case of Riedel’s thyroiditis in Ethiopia and we recommend the disease should be in the list of differential diagnosis of a thyroid mass which is hard with fixation to the surrounding structures.

Additionally surgery should be considered to make a histologic diagnosis and relieve compressive symptoms.