Some CT findings in occult thyroid disease

The hyoid-laryngotracheal complex (HLTC) is a mobile, flexible unit that can be deviated by adjacent neck masses. We present two cases of thyroid disease in which a clinically "silent" lesion rotated the HLTC to an abnormal position. The abnormal location of these normal structures was clinically mistaken for the primary pathology. The essential role that computed tomography plays in the workup of these unusual cases is discussed.