Abstract

Anterior neck is an uncommon location for lipomas but when present these can be mistaken for thyroid masses. The few reported cases have usually described small lesions mimicking a thyroid nodule. We report here a case of a lipoma mimicking a huge goitre. Imaging of the mass was performed through thyroid scintigraphy, ultrasound and computed tomography, which together provided a clue to the diagnosis. On surgery, a large subcutaneous mass was removed from the anterior triangle of the neck, which was seen to consist of mature adipose tissue onhistopathological examination. Large lipomas in the neck can mimic a goitre but this can be easily diagnosed using imaging, particularly with ultrasound, which is the best imaging modality in this situation.