Ectopic Thyroid Gland

A 5-year-old girl is brought to the pediatrician by her mother because she has noticed a single
soft, nontender mass underneath her daughter’s tongue. The physician reassures the mother that it is a common congenital ectopic anomaly that does not affect the function of the mass or the hormone it secretes. Hypersecretion of this hormone can cause which of the following conditions?

(A) Amenorrhea
(B) Cold intolerance
(C) Constipation
(D) Hyperlipidemia
(E) Weight gain

Answer And Discussion:

The correct answer is A.
Usually, the thyroid gland develops beneath the tongue, descends along the thyroglossal duct, and eventually resides anterior to the trachea in the neck. Ectopic thyroid tissue may be found anywhere
along the course of the duct, including its place of origin: beneath the tongue. This is a
common congenital anomaly that does not affect thyroid function, and it should not be removed.
Hypersecretion of thyroxine (T4) from the ectopic gland can result in menstrual abnormalities, including amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea.

Answer B is incorrect. Cold intolerance is characteristic of hypothyroidism, which is a decreased secretion of T4 from the thyroid gland.Hypersecretion of T4 would cause heat intolerance,not cold.

Answer C is incorrect. Constipation is characteristic of hypothyroidism, which is a decreased
secretion of T4 from the thyroid gland. Hypersecretion of T4 is not associated with constipation.

Answer D is incorrect. Hyperlipidemia is characteristic of hypothyroidism, which is a decreased secretion of T4 from the thyroid gland. Hypersecretion of T4 is not associated with hyperlipidemia.

Answer E is incorrect. Weight gain is characteristic of hypothyroidism, which is a decreased secretion of T4 from the thyroid gland. Hypersecretion of T4 is associated with hypermetabolism
and weight loss, not weight gain.