Abstract

ABUABARA, Allan; BARATTO FILHO, Flares  and  FUZZA, Rubia F.. Thyroglossal duct cyst. RSBO (Online) [online]. 2010, vol.7, n.2, pp. 244-246. ISSN 1984-5685.

Thyroglossal duct cysts (TDCs) are cervical cysts occurring in approximately 7% of the population, mainly during childhood. The cyst usually presents itself as a painless, asymptomatic midline swelling below the hyoid bone. Differential diagnosis involves branchial cleft cyst, lymphoepithelial cyst, thyroid gland lesions, ranula and lymphadenopathy (of various etiologies). Sonogram (ultrasound) is the most frequent and appropriate imaging modality in suspected TDC. Preoperative fine-needle aspiration is an inexpensive and safe method that can be considered in selected adult patients, having prime importance to the exclusion of carcinoma. This article presents a TDC of the neck in a 5-year-old boy.

Keywords : Thyroglossal cyst; cystic duct; head and neck neoplasms.