II. Epidemiology

  1. Incidence: 7%
  2. Most commonly presents in childhood

III. Pathophysiology

  1. Residual vestigial tract from fetal development
    1. Tract left by descending Thyroid during Embryogenesis
    2. Tract courses from Tongue base to anterior neck

IV. Signs

  1. Cystic mass at midline of neck adjacent to Hyoid Bone
    1. Increases in size after Upper Respiratory Infection
  2. Mass moves upward (vertically) on:
    1. Swallowing
    2. Protruding Tongue

V. Complications

  1. Cyst infection (follows Upper Respiratory Infection)
  2. Papillary carcinoma (in adults)

VI. Differential Diagnosis

  1. See Neck Masses in Children
  2. See Neck Masses in Adults
  3. Undescended Lingual Thyroid (as high as 1-2%)

VII. Radiology: Confirms normal Thyroid separate from cyst

  1. Radionuclide Thyroid Scan or
  2. Neck Ultrasound

VIII. Management

  1. Surgical excision of cyst, tract (Sistrunk Procedure)

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Ontology: Thyroglossal Cyst (C0040124)

Definition (NCI) A congenital benign cyst arising from the remnants of the thyroglossal duct. It is usually located in the midline of the neck.
Definition (MSH) A cyst in the neck caused by persistence of portions of, or by lack of closure of, the primitive thyroglossal duct. (Dorland, 27th ed)
Concepts Disease or Syndrome (T047)
MSH D013955
ICD10 Q89.2
SnomedCT 39462005, 181119002, 157026002, 157033002, 268359006
English Cysts, Thyroglossal, Thyroglossal Cyst, Thyroglossal Cysts, Cyst, Thyroglossal, Cyst, Thyroglossal Duct, Cyst, Thyrolingual, Cysts, Thyroglossal Duct, Cysts, Thyrolingual, Thyroglossal Duct Cyst, Thyroglossal Duct Cysts, Thyrolingual Cyst, Thyrolingual Cysts, Thryroglossal duct cyst, thyroglossal cyst (diagnosis), thyroglossal cyst, Thyroglossal Cyst [Disease/Finding], cyst duct thyroglossal, thyroglossal duct cyst, Cyst;thyroglossal, thyroglossal duct cysts, thyrolingual cyst, cysts thyroglossal, thyroglossal cysts, Thyroglossal cyst (disorder), Thyroglossal duct cyst, Thyroglossal cyst, Thyroglossal duct cyst (disorder), Thyroglossal duct/cyst, cyst; thyroglossal duct, cyst; thyroglossal, thyroglossal; cyst, Congenital thyroglossal duct cyst, Congenital thyroglossal cyst
Dutch thyroglossuskanaalcyste, Ductus thyreoglossus/thyreoglossuscyste, cyste; ductus thyroglossus, cyste; thyroglossus, thyroglossus; cyste, thyroglossuscyste, Cyste van de ductus thyreoglossus, Cyste, thyreoglossus-, Thyreoglossuscyste, Thyrolinguale cyste
French Kyste du canal thyroglossal, Kyste thyréoglosse, Kyste du canal thyréoglosse, Kyste du tractus thyréoglosse
German thyreoglossale Zyste, Thyreoglossalzyste, Thyreoglossale Gangzyste, Thyreolinguale Zyste, Thyreoglossuszyste, Zyste, Thyreoglossus
Portuguese Quisto do canal tiroglosso, Cisto Tireoglosso, Cisto Tireolingual, Cisto do Ducto Tireoglosso, Ducto Tireoglosso, Quisto tiroglossal
Spanish Quiste del conducto tirogloso, Conducto Tirogloso, quiste del conducto tirogloso (trastorno), quiste del conducto tirogloso, quiste tirogloso, Quiste tirogloso, Quiste del Conducto Tirogloso, Quiste Tirogloso, Quiste Tirolingual
Swedish Tyreoglossuscysta
Japanese コウジョウゼッカンノウホウ, 甲状腺舌管のう胞, 甲状舌管嚢胞, 正中頸嚢胞, 甲状腺舌管嚢胞, 甲状舌嚢胞, 甲状舌管のう胞
Czech tyreoglosální cysta, Tyreoglosální cysta, Cysta ductus thyreoglossus
Finnish Tyreoglossaalinen kysta
Russian SHCHITOVIDNO-IAZYCHNOGO PROTOKA KISTA, ЩИТОВИДНО-ЯЗЫЧНОГО ПРОТОКА КИСТА
Italian Cisti del dotto tireolinguale, Cisti del dotto tireoglosso
Polish Torbiel tarczowo-językowa, Przewód językowo-tarczowy przetrwały, Torbiel przewodu tarczowo-językowego
Hungarian Thyreoglossalis vezeték cysta, Thyreoglossus cysta
Norwegian Thyreoglossuscyste