DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF THE LINGUAL TH YROID

Lingual thyroid tissue is the most frequent ectopic location of the th yroid gland, although its clinical incidence is low with 1 in 100,000 cases occurring. We describe a 25-year-old woman who presented with dy sphagia due to lingual thyroid tissue. Suppressive hormone therapy did not have a significant effect. Surgical therapy was used when obstruc tive symptoms increased. The lingual thyroid was resected partially wh ile the remaining gland was transposed into a lateral submental region . Diagnostic procedures using such imaging techniques as scintigraphy, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and th erapeutic options are discussed.