Hemorrhagic Cyst

Ashley Davidoff MD

Definition

A hemorrhagic cyst is a blood filled cyst that is most commonly caused by hemorrhage into a colloid nodule. This is not an uncommon entity since the follicles are supplied with rich blood flow and their walls are very thin and often already distended with colloid.

Hemorrhagic Cyst

The diagram outlines a hemorrhagic cysts (maroon) in the right lobe of the thyroid.

Hemorrhagic Cyst Occupying the Whole Lobe

A large mostly hypoechoic mass expands the left lobe of the thyroid on the ultrasound of this 54 year female who presents with an enlarged thyroid gland. The left lobe is filled with low level echoes and contains multiple thin septal echogenic walls (maroon). The mass appears to displace and compress normal soft tissues of the neck (pink) anteriorly. Doppler showed no flow. The mass occupies the entire left lobe and measures 5.8cms in craniocaudad span and by 4.2 cms transversely The diagnosis in this patient is a hemorrhagic cyst causing a goiter.