Clinical Finding and Thyroid Function in Women with Struma Ovarii

Background. Struma ovarii (SO) is a variant of dermoid tumors which completely or mainly composed of thyroid tissues. Objective. We report our experience in the diagnosis and thyroid function of patients with SO in our hospital and also review the management and treatment option of this tumor. Materials and Methods. Between 2000 and 2012, 15 consecutive females with SO who were presented to our hospital were fully assessed. All women had histologically confirmed struma ovarii. The medical records of all patients including presenting symptoms, CT scan finding, and hormonal levels were collected for final analysis. Results. Average patient age was 36.6 years (ranging from 21 to 69). The mean ± SDs of serum TSH, T4, and T3 were ？mUI/mL, ？ng/dL, and ？ng/dL, respectively. The value of TSH was lower than normal value in 26.7%. Also, antithyroglobulin and anti-TPO were positive in 2 and one cases, respectively. Conclusion. Based on our data, it is more likely to see a disturbance in serum values of thyroid function test in women with SO. 1. Introduction Struma ovarii (SO) is a variant of dermoid tumors of the ovary in which thyroid tissue components is the major constituent [1]. It is of germ cell origin and accounts for about 2% of all ovarian germ cell tumors [2]. This neoplasm is predominantly found in women between the ages of 40 and 60 years. They are composed of mature thyroid tissue—which mostly (approximately 95%) has a benign nature—occupying more than 50% of the mass [3–5]. Thyroid tissue in the teratoma can exhibit all histological and pathological patterns of normal thyroid epithelium. In major proportion of patients, this neoplasm is nonfunctional and only 5% to 15% reveal hyperthyroidism. Immunohistochemical staining for thyroglobulin may be required to identify the cells’ origin. Most of these tumors are asymptomatic, and diagnosed after surgery of a pelvic mass [6, 7]. It is also difficult to distinguish between struma ovarii and dermoid cysts on the basis of their sonographic appearance [5]. Because of the rarity of the tumor, only a few reports with detailed data on thyroid function of the patient have been published. We report our experience in the diagnosis and thyroid function of patients with SO in our hospital and also review the management and treatment option of this tumor. 2. Materials and Methods Between 2000 and 2012, 15 consecutive females with SOs who were presented to our hospital were fully assessed. All women had histologically confirmed struma ovarii. All patients provided an informed written consent; the study was approved by