Ultrasonographic assessment of neck masses

Abstract

Fourteen patients are presented to illustrate the usefulness of ultrasonography in assessing masses of the neck. Included are five patients with primary tumors, two with metastasis to a cervical node, three with cervical adenitis, two with simple cysts, and two with hematoma related to endarterectomy for occlusive disease of the carotid artery.

Sonography of neck masses in children

“…Sonognaphy has proved useful in imaging neck masses [1][2][3][4], but its use in children has not been extensively reported The most common midline lesion of the neck in a child is a thyroglossal remnant [5]. Thynoglossal duct cysts, which present as midline on slightly lateral to midline cystic masses, have a characteristic sonographic appearance.…”

Ultrasound evaluation of neck masses in children.

“…Previous reports have described examples of inflammatory lymphadenitis as cystic, solid, or complex, depending on the s tage of development. 7 • 0 The four patients we examined with clinical inflammatory adenopathy had lobulated masses with heterogeneous low level echogenicity. In one of these children , t here were focal hypoechoic areas, suggestive of matted lymph nodes ( fig .…”

Neck

“…The digastric muscle can be seen as it crosses the ventral aspect of the angle of the mandible (see Figure 6-32, A), and the hyperechoic, curvilinear ventral margin of the mandible can be seen deep and rostral to the digastric muscle. 4,127 Complex lesions appear as masses with solid components of varying echogenicity associated with hypoechoic cystic areas sometimes separated by more echogenic septations. 4,127,128 Lesions can generally be divided into solid, cystic, and complex categories.…”

“…5 primary neoplasia, metastatic neoplasia, lipomas, cystic lesions, abscess, and hematoma. 127 Use of a combination of two-dimensional and Doppler ultrasonography is sometimes helpful in determining the vascularity of some neck masses. 4,127 Complex lesions appear as masses with solid components of varying echogenicity associated with hypoechoic cystic areas sometimes separated by more echogenic septations.…”