ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSIS OF SOLITARY SUBLINGUAL THYROID

A 10y boy diagnosed clinically & hormonally as hypothyroidism was evaluated with neck ultrasound. There was absence of normal thyroid in its infra laryngeal location . A well defined oval coarse hyperechoic spongiform nodular lesion noted in sublingual region midline supra hyoid location separate from both sublingual salivary glands . The lesion showed rim & internal vascularity on color doppler. No internal calcifications seen. In view of the nodule being in the track route of thyro-glossal duct, & absent normal thyroid in its location , a possible diagnosis of solitary sublingual thyroid was made ( Fig 1-4 ) . In vew of it's echo texture nodular spongiform appearance it might be adenomatous transforming . A thyroid isotope scan was suggested .

Fig 1- TS US neck scan shows absent normal thyroid in infra laryngeal location 

Fig 2- Coronal submental US scan shows a well defined spongiform nodule s/o sublingual thyroid tissue

Fig 3- The same nodule in midline sagittal scan seen in supra hyoid location 

Fig 4- color doppler shows rim & internal vasculature 

PS - The case study is intended for radiologists for academic purposes only