What is a lingual thyroid nodule?
Lingual thyroid is an abnormal mass of ectopic thyroid tissue seen in base of tongue caused due to embryological aberrancy in development of thyroid gland. Most of the ectopic tissue is seen in the tongue.
What causes a lingual thyroid?
Lingual thyroid is a mass of ectopic thyroid tissue, located at the base of the tongue, caused by a developmental anomaly of the descent of thyroid gland [3]. The thyroid gland develops as an endodermal diverticulum between the first and second pharyngeal pouches.
How is lingual thyroid diagnosed?
The diagnosis of lingual thyroid is largely dependent on clinical awareness [3]. Once this disease is suspected, a complete thyroid functional test and the imaging tools are required. The diagnostic battery includes head and neck ultrasonography, scintigraphy, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [4].
Is lingual thyroid normal?
A lingual thyroid is relatively rare and is estimated to occur in 1 in 3000 cases of thyroid disease. However, it represents the most common location for functioning ectopic thyroid tissue. Lingual thyroid tissue is associated with an absence of the normal cervical thyroid in 70% of cases.
Is tongue connected to thyroid?
The thyroglossal duct is a narrow tube connecting the developing thyroid gland to the tongue and it usually involutes at the sixth or eighth week. The foramen caecum is the opening of the thyroglossal duct in the tongue.
What Your tongue Says About Your thyroid?
The appearance of your tongue may indicate whether or not your altered taste buds stem from a thyroid issue. A healthy tongue is slightly pink, moist, and mostly smooth. If your tongue is dry, discolored, coated, or painful, you may suffer from hypothyroidism.
Can thyroid nodules affect tongue?
Patients with hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland underperforms, experience oral problems like tongue enlargement (macroglossia), gum disease, a long-winding recovery from mouth sores, tooth infection and gum disease.
What shows up on a thyroid ultrasound?
Doctors use ultrasounds to locate inflammation, nodules and abnormal lymph nodes. “The scan can detect any cause of an enlarged thyroid—one that might explain the symptom the patient mentions such as difficulty swallowing or swelling,” Dr. Kent says.
Is a swollen tongue a symptom of hypothyroid?
Hypothyroidism. This thyroid disorder is characterized by low levels of thyroid hormone. When thyroid hormone levels are low, you may experience the following symptoms in addition to tongue swelling and scalloped edges: hair loss.
Can thyroid issues cause teeth problems?
Tooth Problems that Result from Thyroid Hormone Imbalance Those with hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid are more susceptible to dental problems like cavities, osteoporosis in the jaws, rapid tooth growth in children, and others. Thyroid patients in general are prone to oral problems like dry mouth.
What does U4 mean on an ultrasound of the thyroid?
Ultrasound classification (U4): suspicious thyroid nodule. The first distinctive feature of these suspicious nodules is their hypo-echogenicity [ 8 ]. The echo signals of the nodule or part of the nodule are less than the surrounding normal thyroid tissue (Fig. 4a) and sometimes lower than the nearby muscle (Fig. 4b ).
Can a thyroid nodule be found on an ultrasound?
Most nodules are benign, but between 3 and 7% of cases are found to be malignant [2]. Ultrasound (US) has become an important diagnostic tool in the assessment of thyroid nodules. It is highly sensitive for detecting nodules, and the sonographic features of the nodules can be used to determine the need for further investigation [3].
When to use ultrasound for absent thyroid tissue?
Ultrasound. Ultrasound is only of use in demonstrating absent thyroid tissue in the normal location, which is the case in the majority of cases 1. Only occasionally do patients have thyroid tissue both at the tongue base and elsewhere in the neck.
Can a lingual thyroid be an asymptomatic condition?
Many patients are asymptomatic and the diagnosis is made incidentally either as a result of imaging the tongue or attempting to image the thyroid and noting that it is absent. In symptomatic patients the lingual mass may result in dysphagia, bleeding from mucosal ulceration, or even airway obstruction (more common in infants) 1,2.