Thyroid gland’s topography: preliminary results (913.5)

Abstract

The clinical evaluation and the surgical approach of the thyroid gland are standardized. However there are rare cases about ectopic thyroid tissue reported, related to abnormalities during the embryogenesis of the thyroid gland. Its prevalence is about 1 per 100 000 ‐ 300 000 people, rising to 1 per 4000 ‐ 8000 in patients with thyroid disease. In autopsy studies, the prevalence ranges from 7 to 10%. This study aims to analyze the position of the thyroid gland in 9 cadavers. The thyroid gland’s topography was classified in: on the neck, under the neck. We found 8 thyroid gland positioned on the neck and 1 under the neck, at the level of the clavicle. The knowledge of the thyroid gland’s topography and their prevalence as described in this preliminary study may contribute to avoid iatrogenic lesions in cervical surgeries.