Lateral aberrant thyroid refers to -

Any thyroid tissue found laterally separate from the thyroid gland, is always considered to be a metastasis in a cervical lymph node, as aberrant thyroid tissue never occurs in a lateral position. Aberrant, thyroid tissues are found along the course of the thyroglossal tract i.e. Lingual* Cervical* or intrathoracic* Also, remember Type of thyroid carcinoma most commonly associated with lateral aberrant thyroid - papillary carcinoma*. Ref : Bailey and Love, 24th/e, p. 777