A 5-year-old boy presents with a midline cystic neck mass that moves with swallowing and protrusion of the tongue. Histology of the excised cyst shows a lining of pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with thyroid follicles in the cyst wall. The diagnosis is:

• A Branchial cleft cyst
• B Dermoid cyst
• C Epidermoid cyst
• D Thyroglossal duct cyst ✓

Explanation

Thyroglossal duct cyst is a midline congenital cyst resulting from persistence of the thyroglossal duct. It characteristically moves with swallowing and tongue protrusion. Histology shows a cyst lined by respiratory or squamous epithelium with thyroid follicles in the cyst wall, a diagnostic feature. Branchial cleft cyst occurs laterally. Dermoid cyst shows adnexal structures in the wall, and epidermoid cyst lacks thyroid tissue.

Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.