title: Lingual thyroid gland: clinical evaluation and management.
abstract: The authors present three illustrative cases of lingual thyroid gland in paediatric age group with a protocol for diagnosis and management of the condition. Elements in the diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation are outlined with attention to the clinical findings, laboratory tests and radiographic imaging studies employed in confirming the diagnosis and planning appropriate treatment. Presentations varied from swelling noticed on routine evaluation for upper respiratory tract infection in one, to dysphagia in the next and sore throat in the third patient. On examination they had swelling on the tongue just behind the circumvallate line. 99mTc thyroid scan confirmed the swelling as lingual thyroid with no thyroid tissue in the normal location. All three children had raised TSH levels and were put on suppressive L-thyroxine. At follow up patients are asymptomatic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India. vijaykumar5566@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Yoga
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagendhar
authors.forename: Bhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: Anindya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vepakomma
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013961:Thyroid Gland; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy