An Imaging Review of Common Space-Occupying Lesions of the Pediatric Head and Neck

Abstract

Head and neck masses continue to be a common indication for neuroradiological evaluation of pediatric patients. Etiologies include inflammatory, congenital, benign neoplastic, and malignant neoplastic lesions. The incidence of childhood head and neck malignancy is increasing, and therefore should always be included in the differential diagnosis of a pediatric patient presenting with a space-occupying lesion of the head or neck. Many factors can aid in an accurate diagnosis, including age of the patient, location of the mass, and imaging features. This article will review several benign and malignant pediatric head and neck neoplasms, as well as congenital lesions, and focus on their imaging features.

Keywords

pediatric head and neck masses - Hodgkin disease - non-Hodgkin lymphoma - rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck - pediatric thyroid carcinoma - Langerhans cell histiocytosis - branchial cleft cyst - lymphatic malformations of the head and neck

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