title: [Misdiagnosis and mistherapy of ectopic thyroid gland].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinic characteristic, diagnosis and treatment of ectopic thyroid gland (ETG) and avoid the misdiagnosis and mistherapy of ETG.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinic materials of 4 cases with ETG were analysed. Four patients were misdiagnosed thyroglossal duct cyst. The clinical features, diagnosis and management of ETG were discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of patients had a normal thyroid gland in the neck and underwent a surgical resection of neck mass. Postoperative pathologic examination revealed the neck masses originated from accessory thyroid gland, of them, 1 gland enlargement, 1 adenoma and 2 adenocarcinoma. Fortunately, by the postoperative fellow up, no significant complication was found in the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The well understanding of ETG and the detailed examination before surgical treatment of neck mass, including ultrasonography, CT or MRI, radioactive isotope scanning and fine needle aspiration biopsy, are keys to adequate diagnosis and management of ETG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the General Hospital of Air Force of PLA, Beijing, China. gwx58@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Weixi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Entong
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Da
authors.forename: Zulin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology*