A cavernous hemangioma of the tongue base presenting as an ectopic thyroid: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Hemangioma is a common benign tumor of blood vessels, that rarely develops in the oropharynx. Cavernous hemangioma is characterized by thin-walled dilated blood vessels lined with endothelial cells. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 46 years-old woman who was admitted to our department with a complaint of chronic dysphonia and dysphagia. Clinical examination, radiological investigations and thyroid scintigraphy found a mass of the tongue base, compatible with a lingual thyroid. Treatment consisted of surgical excision through a cervical approach. The histopathological examination found a cavernous hemangioma. CONCLUSION: Though hemangioma is very rare in the base of tongue, it should be a part of the differential diagnosis while investigating a lesion in the oral cavity and the oropharynx, alongside the other possibilities.