Cystic cervical masses are usually benign in the young adult population. However malignant tumors of the head and neck may present ocasionally as cystic metastasis. Herein we report a case of a 33 year old female patient, asymptomatic, with a huge cystic cervical mass of 1 year data. The initial diagnosis was a branchial clef cyst, but after imaging studies and histopathologic examination papillary thyroid carcinoma was suspected. This diagnosis was confirmed in an intraoperatory consultation, so a total thyroidectomy, central lymph node dissection and modified radical neck dissection was performed. The final diagnosis on the surgical specimen was a papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid with cystic lymph node metastasis and the patient received radioactive iodine afterwards

Papillary thyroid carcinoma; cystic neck masses; branquial cyst; lymph node metastasis