Lingual thyroid: a review of 12 cases.

Twelve patients with lingual thyroid are reviewed. Two of these patients had a follicular carcinoma in the ectopic gland and both are well 5 and 16 years after treatment. The diagnosis is essentially clinical but confirmation may be made with a thyroid scan. Six patients were treated conservatively with thyroxine with good results. Six patients were treated by surgical excision, 2 undergoing autotransplantation of the excised gland into the anterior abdominal wall.