We present a case of a middle-aged woman with a mass in the posterior third of the tongue which was diagnosed as a tongue haemangioma. The tumour was successfully excised via a midline mandibular osteotomy and tongue splitting approach. The histopathology examination, however, revealed the 5x4 cms mass to be a lingual thyroid. The salient features of this unusual presentation of a thyroid enlargement will be discussed.
Comment in: Ng CS, Mohd MS. Lingual thyroid--a lesson to learn. Med J Malaysia. 2005
Mar;60(1):115
Thyroid hormones mediate the biological activities of almost all organ systems in the body. Patients with a deficiency of these hormones may present with a wide spectrum of clinical symptomatology. This report is of an infant who presented with chronic anaemia which was found to be secondary to hypothyroidism associated with a hypoplastic lingual thyroid gland. Physicians need to be alert to the varied manifestations of hypothyroidism so as to avoid delay in diagnosis and treatment.