Lingual Thyroid, A Rare Embryological Aberration of Thyroid Gland and Primary Hypothyroidism Lingual Tiroid, Tiroid Bezinin Nadir Bir Embriyolojik Atipik Yerleflimi ve Primer Hipotiroidizm

Lingual thyroid is an abnormal formation appearing as the result of a deficient descent during embryological development of the thyroid gland through the thyroglossal duct to its normal pretracheal location, and it is a rare embryological aberration. A 32yr old woman was admitted to endocrinology clinic for hypothyroidism with foreign-body-feeling, swallowing difficulties, dyspnea, hoarseness, constipation, cold intolerance, dry skin, fatigue and lethargy. Oropharyngeal examination showed a spherical, fixed, red fleshy and hard basilingual tumor. The thyroid gland was nonpalpable and patient was diagnosed as primary hypothyroidism. Neck ultrasound showed a heterogeneous, smooth contoured, hypoechoic solid nodular mass on the base of the tongue. Computerized tomography also confirmed this finding. Thyroid scan with technetium 99m revealed isotope uptake in the base of tongue area and no uptake in the normal thyroid location. With these findings lingual thyroid was diagnosed, and the lingual thyroid mass was resected. Biopsy revealed thyroid tissue with noduler colloidal goiter containing hyperplastic nodule. Levothyroxine treatment was started and there was no complication in the postoperative period. We present here a case of lingual thyroid and hypothyroidism in a 32 year old female patient Turk Jem 2007; 11: 98-100