title: Psammomatous calcification in association with a benign thyroglossal duct cyst.
abstract: Embryologic remnants of thyroid tissue often line the thyroglossal duct tract and may commonly become cystic. Calcification in such a cyst is thought to be a specific marker for malignancy, which may develop in 1% of thyroglossal duct cysts. We describe a 3-year-old boy with a midline neck mass that showed radiologic calcification. Pathologic evaluation revealed psammomatous calcification in association with a benign thyroglossal duct cyst. These findings, not previously reported (to our knowledge), expand the radiologic differential diagnosis of calcified neck masses and broaden the spectrum of pathologic findings seen in association with benign thyroglossal duct cysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.forename: Gerald B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Caroline D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.forename: Sara O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Vargas
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*