Lithium-induced enlargement of a lingual thyroid

Lingual thyroid is a rare developmental anomaly. It is the result of failure of the thyroid to descend from the foramen caecum to its prelaryngeal site. Lithium is a known goitrogen, but has never been reported to cause symptomatic enlargement of the lingual thyroid. We describe a 40-year-old woman,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSingapore medical journal Vol. 49; no. 3; p. 254
Main Authors Talwar, N, Mohan, S, Ravi, B, Andley, M, Kumar, A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Singapore 01.03.2008
Subjects
Adult
Antimanic Agents - administration & dosage
Antimanic Agents - adverse effects
Bipolar Disorder - drug therapy
Deglutition Disorders - etiology
Female
Humans
Hypothyroidism - drug therapy
Hypothyroidism - etiology
Lingual Thyroid - complications
Lingual Thyroid - pathology
Lithium Compounds - administration & dosage
Lithium Compounds - adverse effects
Thyroid Gland - pathology
Thyroxine - therapeutic use
Tongue - abnormalities
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Summary:Lingual thyroid is a rare developmental anomaly. It is the result of failure of the thyroid to descend from the foramen caecum to its prelaryngeal site. Lithium is a known goitrogen, but has never been reported to cause symptomatic enlargement of the lingual thyroid. We describe a 40-year-old woman, who presented with a foreign body sensation and progressive dysphagia caused by an ectopic lingual thyroid tissue measuring 4 cm x 3 cm x 3.5 cm. She had been taking lithium for treatment of bipolar disorder and had hypothyroidism. Her symptoms were relieved after excision of the ectopic thyroid tissue.
ISSN:0037-5675