Submandibular Ectopic Thyroid Gland

Abstract

a 45-year-old euthyroid woman had symmetric submandibular masses. Radionuclide imaging with Tc-99m pertechnetate will hide the presence of ectopic thyroid tissue because of the physiologic radionuclide uptake by the salivary glands, whereas a study using radioactive iodine allows a correct diagnosis. In this case, thyroid rests were situated in the submandibular regions, with no thyroid gland in the neck, probably because of an arrest in the normal descent of thyroid tissue after the development of the two lobes.