A Case of Neonatal Dual Ectopic Thyroid Glands with Congenital Hypothyroidism

Abstract

An ectopic thyroid occurs when thyroid tissue has not properly migrated from the foramen cecum to the fourth tracheal ring along the midline of the ventral portion of the neck, but instead is located elsewhere. There are some cases of dual-site ectopic thyroid glands, usually involving adolescents or adults. Cases of neonatal dual ectopic thyroid glands are even rarer. We report a case of a dual ectopic thyroid with congenital hypothyroidism found during a neonatal screening of the lingual and upper cervical regions of a patient . The patient had no airway obstruction symptoms, such as dysphagia or grunting. The thyroxine (T4) level was 2.49 μg/dL (normal value: 6.2-22.0 μg/dL) and the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level was 217.85 μIU/mL (normal value: 1.7-9.1 μIU/ mL). A dual ectopic thyroid was diagnosed based on a Tc-99m thyroid scan. After receiving thyroid hormone replacement therapy, the child has developed normally.