Thyroglossal duct cyst

Case contributed by Mostafa Elfeky
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Anterior neck swelling.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male

CT Neck with contrast

ct

A hypodense cystic lesion in noted resting on the superficial surface of the left lamina of thyroid cartilage insinuating itself within the strap muscles and deep to platysma.

It passes through thyrohyoid interval at the midline, wrapping around the inferior surface of the hyoid bone and mildly indenting the pre-epiglottic fat.

The anterior jugular vein is prominent and draped along the superficial aspect of the lesion. The lesion showed mild marginal enhancement.

Case Discussion

Thyroglossal duct cyst is the most common congenital neck anomaly. It is an anterior midline cystic swelling along the course of thyroglossal duct, more common to be infrahyoid (as in this case) and can be a little off midline. It usually presents as painless neck swelling unless infected.

As we see the upper part of the cystic lesion in the sagittal image curves backwards and superiorly to reach behind the hyoid bone as this corresponds to the course of thyroglossal duct.

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