RT Book, Section
A1 Tunkel, David E.
A1 Perkins, Jonathan A.
A2 Rudolph, Colin D.
A2 Rudolph, Abraham M.
A2 Lister, George E.
A2 First, Lewis R.
A2 Gershon, Anne A.
SR Print(0)
ID 7034446
T1 Chapter 373. Head and Neck Masses
T2 Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e
YR 2011
FD 2011
PB The McGraw-Hill Companies
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-149723-7
LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=7034446
RD 2024/04/25
AB Head  and  neck  masses  commonly  occur  in  young  children,  and  the  differential  diagnosis  for  such  masses  is  broad.  The  initial  history  and  physical  examination  usually  provides  sufficient  information  to  narrow  the  possible  causes  of  a  swelling  in  a  child’s  head  or  neck.  This  should  direct  the  subsequent  evaluation  and  initial  therapy.  While  the  majority  of  these  head  and  neck  masses  are  inflammatory  in  nature,  congenital  abnormalities  and  neoplasms  can  occur  and  often  require  surgical  intervention  for  diagnosis  and  treatment.  In  one  review  of  children  with  head  and  neck  masses  that  were  biopsied  or  excised,  55%  had  congenital  lesions,  27%  had  inflammatory  masses,  and  14%  had  a  benign  or  malignant  neoplasm.1  A  thorough  evaluation  of  a  child  with  a  head  and  neck  mass  is  necessary  to  prevent  delay  in  diagnosing  a  malignancy  and  to  allow  appropriate  medical  or  surgical  treatment  of  persistent  benign  diseases.