Background Hyalinizing trabecular tumor (HTT) is a rare thyroid neoplasm, which shares some histologic features with thyroid papillary carcinoma (TPC). Clinically, it is frequently misdiagnosed as papillary carcinoma, even for some experienced pathologists. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HTT is variant of TPC or HTT is an independent entity of thyroid neoplasm.Methods The expression of CK19, galectin-3, HBME-1 and MIB-1 was detected by immunohistochemical staining in 12 cases of hyalinizing trabecular tumor and 20 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma.Results Two of the 12 HTT samples were positive or focally positive for CK19. Four of the 12 samples of HTT presented positive to galectin-3; 3 were stained strongly and the other one was focally positive. None of the 12 samples of HTT was positive for HBME-1. Five in 12 HTT samples were stained in nucleus for MIB-1. Almost all the 20 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma were intensely stained for CK19, galectin-3 and HBME-1. Fifteen in 20 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma showed nuclear staining for MIB-1.Conclusions HTT is an independent thyroid neoplasm, not a variant of TPC. This study could help in the differential diagnosis of HTT from TPC. CK19, galectin-3 and HBME-1 are adequate to identify HTT and TPC, but MIB-1 does not play an important role in discrimination between HTT and TPC.