Thursday, February 14, 2019

See also: 

Overview

Thyroglossal duct cyst is the most common congenital midline neck mass. TGD's are benign midline neck masses arising from persistence of the thyroglossal duct tract that usually obliterates during fetal development. the cyst, sometimes associated with a tract (see: Case example thyroglossal duct cyst with tract through to oropharynx) is due to incomplete atrophy of the thyroglossal duct tract. Usual treatment is surgical excision (see: Case Example of Thyroglossal duct cyst excision standard approach and Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Excision). Estimated 1% of thyroglossal duct cysts contain thyroid carcinoma

Differential Diagnosis:

  • Epidermoid cyst - usually more superficially and less tethered to the hyoid bone
  • Branchial cleft cyst - typically located lateral to the midline (see 2nd Arch Branchial Cleft Cyst Case Example)
  • Bronchogenic cyst - rarely presents as small anterior neck mass (low in neck when it does)

Video

References

Ahuja AT et al: Imaging for thyroglossal duct cyst: the bare essentials. Clin Radiol. 60(2):141-8, 2005

Peter M. Som, Wendy R.K. Smoker, Hugh D. Curtin, Joy S. Reidenberg and Jeffrey Laitman Head and Neck Imaging, Chapter 37, 2235-2285  Head and Neck Imaging Fifth Edition Copyright © 2011 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.

Wood CB, Bigcas JL, Alava I, Bischoff L, Langerman A, Kim Y.Papillary-Type Carcinoma of the Thyroglossal Duct Cyst: The Case for Conservative Management.Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2018 Oct;127(10):710-716. doi: 10.1177/0003489418791892. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

de Tristan J et al: Thyroglossal duct cysts: 20 years' experience (1992-2011). Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 272(9):2513-9, 2015

Chou J et al: Thyroglossal duct cysts: anatomy, embryology and treatment. Surg Radiol Anat. 35(10):875-81, 2013

Thompson LD et al: A clinicopathologic series of 685 thyroglossal duct remnant cysts. Head Neck Pathol. 10(4):465-74, 2016