Micro-CT Imaging of Pediatric Thyroglossal Duct Cysts: A Prospective Case Series

• Published in: Frontiers in pediatrics 2021-09, Vol.9, p.746010-746010
• Main Authors: Frauenfelder, Claire, Shelmerdine, Susan C, Simcock, Ian C, Hall, Andrew, Hutchinson, John Ciaran, Ashworth, Michael T, Arthurs, Owen J, Butler, Colin R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: diagnosis; head and neck; pathology; Pediatrics; radiology/imaging; thyroglossal duct cyst
• ISSN: 2296-2360; 2296-2360
• DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.746010

To determine the feasibility of micro-CT as a high-resolution 3D imaging tool for thyroglossal duct cysts and to evaluate its role augmenting traditional histopathological examination of resected specimens. A single centre, prospective case series of consecutive children undergoing excision of a thyroglossal duct cyst was performed at a quaternary paediatric referral hospital in the United Kingdom. Consecutive children listed for excision of a thyroglossal duct cyst whose parents agreed to participate were included and there were no exclusion criteria. Surgically excised thyroglossal duct cyst or remnant specimens from five patients (two males, three females) were examined using micro-CT alongside traditional histopathological examination. In all cases, micro-CT imaging was able to demonstrate 3D imaging datasets of the specimens successfully and direct radio-pathological comparisons were made ( - , Supplementary Video 1). The study has shown the feasibility and utility of post-operative micro-CT imaging of thyroglossal duct cysts specimens as a visual aid to traditional histopathological examination. It better informs the pathological specimen sectioning using multi-planar reconstruction and volume rendering tools without tissue destruction. In the complex, often arborised relationship between a thyroglossal duct cyst and the hyoid, micro-CT provides valuable image plane orientation and indicates proximity of the duct to the surgical margins. This is the first case series to explore the use of micro-CT imaging for pediatric thyroglossal duct specimens and it informs future work investigating the generalizability of micro-CT imaging methods for other lesions, particularly those from the head and neck region where precisely defining margins of excision may be challenging.