A Rare Case of Lateral Ectopic Thyroid

ABSTRACT: Ectopic thyroid tissue is an abnormality caused by aberrant thyroid gland embryogenesis during its passage from the floor of the primitive foregut to its final position. The most frequent place of ectopic thyroid tissue is the base of tongue, whereas lateral thyroid gland is a very rare finding. The present case describes a case of thyroid dysgenesis, caused by a submandibular ectopic thyroid gland. Thyroid scintigraphy was crucial for the diagnosis: in fact, the patient was asymptomatic, and the diagnosis was performed only on the basis of subclinical hypothyroidism.