LINGUAL THYROID AND HYPOTHYROIDISM - REPORT OF A CASE IN A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

There are approximately 400 reported cases of lingual thyroid (LT) wit h a clear cut prevalence in paediatric age. These glands are probably quantitatively deficient and function at marginal levels. Thyrostimula ting hormone (TSH) causes hypertrophy producing local symptoms and in younger patients may induce dangerous obstruction. The presumptive dia gnosis is usually made by indirect laryngoscopy and thyroscintigraphy. The authors describe a case of LT in a middle aged patient in whom th e anomaly remained undiscovered, being without local symptoms, and per mitting a normal life. The discovery was made possible by the developm ent in the last four years of a progressive, frank hypothyroidism, pro bably induced by silent thyroiditis into the ectopic gland.