Management of the undescended thyroid

Ectopic thyroid can occur throughout the neck but is found most commonly at the tongue base. Management includes Tc99m radionuclide scanning to confirm the presence and location of the thyroid tissue. Dysfunction should be assessed by T4, TSH, and thyroid antibody testing. Hormonal therapy is the primary treatment but surgery may be necessary in cases of airway obstruction. Six children with undescended thyroid are presented and a management protocol based on the presence or lack of symptomatology is proposed.