Thyroglossal duct cyst: is thyroid scanning necessary in the preoperative evaluation?

BACKGROUND Evaluation of thyroglossal duct cysts before surgical excision traditionally includes hormonal evaluation, ultrasound of the neck, and thyroid scanning. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the need for thyroid scanning in cases of thyroglossal duct cysts scheduled for operation. METHODS A retrospective chart review of 100 cases of thyroglossal duct cyst between 1988 and 1995 was carried out. RESULTS No cases of ectopic thyroid were detected. CONCLUSION Our goal was to document the presence of normal thyroid tissue by non-invasive tools such as ultrasound, rather than to rule out the existence of ectopic thyroid tissue by radionuclide scanning. Radionuclide scanning is justified in cases of lingual thyroid and where a normally located thyroid gland cannot be detected.