Field of View Matters: A Case of Incidental Lingual Thyroid Detection

Introduction

Ectopic thyroid tissue at the tongue base is a rare congenital anomaly resulting from incomplete descent of the thyroid gland during embryogenesis. It is the most common ectopic location along the thyroglossal duct, accounting for 90% of cases, with a prevalence of 1 in 100,000 to 300,000. Less frequent sites include the submandibular region and the mediastinum. It is congenital but may become clinically apparent at any age, with a higher prevalence in females, and can cause symptoms such as dysphagia, dyspnoea, or haemorrhage due to local compression. Although malignant transformation is rare, with an estimated incidence of less than 1%, its potential occurrence underscores the importance of recognizing this anomaly [1] [2] [3].

Publication History

Received: 03 February 2025

Accepted: 06 February 2025

Article published online:
11 March 2025

• References

• 1 Constantin BN. et al. Tongue Base Ectopic Thyroid Tissue-Is It a Rare Encounter?. Medicina (Kaunas) 2023; 59 (02) 313
• 2 Toso A. et al. Lingual thyroid causing dysphagia and dyspnoea. Case reports and review of the literature. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2009; 29 (04) 213-217
• 3 Sturniolo G. et al. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma in lingual thyroid. Endocrine 2016; 51 (01) 189-198