Suprasternal Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Mistaken for a Simple Cystic Tumor

ABSTRACT

Thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) is caused by the failure of the thyroglossal duct to be obliterated following descent of the thyroid during the 6th week of fetal life. TGDC can develop anywhere along the course of the thyroglossal duct remnant, from the base of the tongue to the suprasternal region. Four general locations are well-recognized intralingual, suprahyoid, thyrohyoid and suprasternal. The typical location of a TGDC is in the midline of the anterior neck, and this is closely related to the hyoid bone. Atypical TGDC is important because of the high incidence of misdiagnosis, inadequate therapy and possible neoplastic change. We describe a recently encountered patient with a suprasternal mass that was ultimately diagnosed as a TGDC. There are only a few case reports of atypical anatomical locations, and particularly suprasternal TGDC. So, we present a case of suprasternal TGDC that was mistaken for a simple cystic tumor, along with a brief review of the related literature.