Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The lingual thyroid gland refers to ectopic thyroid tissue situated at the base of the tongue. This rare condition occurs when the thyroid gland fails to descend to its usual position in the pre-tracheal area during embryonic development. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 23-year-old female who presented with throat discomfort and progressive difficulty of swallowing upon examination there was a mass at the level of the base of the tongue. She was investigated with a thyroid function test, neck ultrasound, at the tongue's base, and head and neck CT scan. With a diagnosed lingual thyroid she was managed initially with suppression therapy followed by elective surgical removal. The work has been reported in line with the SCARE criteria. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The incidence of lingual thyroid is reported to be 1 in 100,000, with a higher prevalence among females, in a ratio of 3:1 compared to males. Symptoms can vary and may include difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), voice changes (dysphonia), upper airway obstruction, or occasional bleeding, and can manifest from infancy to adulthood. CONCLUSION: Lingual thyroid is a rare clinical anomaly treatment depending on the severity of symptoms, size of the lesion, sex and age of the patient, and thyroid function.