Ectopic thyroid gland in the submandibular region simulating a thyroglossal duct cyst: a case report.

The inadvertent removal of ectopic thyroid gland (ETG) that was mistaken for a thyroglossal duct cyst (TDC) leading to important hypothyroidism has been reported in the literature. The authors report the case of a 4-year-old boy with an ETG mimicking a normal TDC, in whom the preliminary diagnosis was a TDC. The diagnosis, the anatomic location of the ETG, and the management of this congenital anomaly are discussed.