Neck Lumps
Neck Lumps
NECK LUMPS
Patients age
History
Children - more likely to have benign lumps Adolescents similarly benign, but also lymphomas Adults assume malignant until proven otherwise
Clinical examination
Lumps in General
Site Size Shape Consistency Deep & Superficial attachments Nature of surface and edge Fluctuance Pulsation, bruit Transillumination
Examine lymphatic regions
( Palpate from behind the patient )
Clinical examination
Lumps in General
Site - midline, lateral upper, lower, anterior, posterior Size Shape Consistency Deep & Superficial attachments Nature of surface and edge
Fluctuance
Pulsation, bruit Transillumination
Neck Lumps for Medical Students 2008 Stephen Kleid ENT/HN surgeon
Clinical examination
Lateral
?High, mid, low - in neck, suggests site of origin Posterior triangle suggests site of origin
Midline
Probably Thyroid origin Low/mid neck - Does it move with swallowing?
(keep mouth open, and the jaw still) = attached to Hyoid - Thyro-glossal cyst
Clinical examination
Lumps in General
Site Size Shape Consistency Attachments Surface, edge
Fluctuance
Pulsation, bruit Transillumination
Carotid body tumour Glomus carotidum Paraganglioma Chemodectoma Non-chromaffin argentaffinoma
Clinical examination
Lumps in General Site Size Shape Consistency Deep & Superficial attachments Nature of surface and edge Fluctuance Pulsation, bruit Transillumination
Clinical examination
BUT, even with experience, its difficult to actually diagnose the pathology Some signs are confusing, dont match with the others Some signs are difficult to elicit As diagnosticians, we have to look a bit beyond the obvious lump, the images, and search for clues More mistakes are made in Medicine from not looking, than not knowing
or
Ultrasound-guided Need experienced cyto-pathologist If uncertain or confusing result
Repeat the FNA
on FNA cannot differentiate benign from malignant (20% are malig.) Requires hemithyroidectomy
An interesting case
Before I had seen her, based on a CT done in Mt. Gambier,
which diagnosed a very rare condition, it was her 6th trip to Melbourne, for Clinic visits and various scans, with no diagnosis. Each scan report proffered a new diagnosis, and recommended the next test - and all of them were uncertain When I saw her, she had left her films at home ! I had only the reports After thorough examination, I still couldnt confirm a diagnosis for her lump.
I performed an FNA in the Clinic awaiting special stains
Rare variations of common conditions are more common than rare conditions we need to see the scans
Need good quality imaging (and reporting) X-rays are only shadows of the truth
you need to know it for any test you order FNA cytology is not always correct - sometimes you need to repeat it - Ultrasound-guidance helps - Cytologist in attendance helps
Parotid tail
Transverse process of Atlas Submandibular gland Carotid - bulb, bifurcation Greater cornu of hyoid bone Thyroid lamina Cervical rib
Neck Lumps for Medical Students 2008 Stephen Kleid ENT/HN surgeon
do a FNA
do a Neck ultrasound or CT scan excise cyst, and the body of the Hyoid bone
Stephen Kleid ENT/HN surgeon
Multi-nodular goitre
Guess what test you do first? Get a FNA Beware previous Radiation exposure especially Pre-pubertal Acne RT stopped in Melbourne ~1972, none for Tonsils Ukrainians (Chernobyl 1986) PH - Childhood ca - 30% of glands with lump(s) - malignant
Neck Lumps for Medical Students 2008 Stephen Kleid ENT/HN surgeon
Thyroid Lumps
>90% of solitary thyroid lumps are benign FNA/cytology results Benign - Observe, repeat FNA in 3 months Malignant Uncertain (eg Follicular tumour) Non-diagnostic
Benign Reactive Lymph node Branchial cyst Miscellaneous cyst, Lipoma etc Carotid body tumour (very rare) - paraganglioma NB Zenkers diverticulum (Pharyngeal pouch) is not palpable
Neck Lumps for Medical Students 2008 Stephen Kleid ENT/HN surgeon
Branchial cyst
? Pathogenesis
Remnant of 2nd Pharyngeal cleft, trapped under Platysma (2nd arch)
as it moves down to cloak the neck and obliterated the clefts Metaplastic Lymph node
Children, or young adults occasionally older Can appear suddenly presumably due to infection
can be occult infection or can be overtly infected abscess
If two ve FNAs, and H&N exam clear , then can safely excise it Almost every metastatic node excised, then sent to Peter Mac, has a
Golden rules
1. If its lateral, assume its malignant until otherwise diagnosed 2. Dont try to excise or biopsy a neck lump, until you know what it is 3. Fine Needle Aspiration for Cytology is safe & reliable
4. Metastatic neck nodes usually arise from the Head & Neck region
This man had an Open Biopsy, then Radiotherapy When it recurred, it fungated out through the scar It progressed (untreatable)
Golden rule # 10 Beware Accessory nerve when operating on the neck Also Vagus and Hypoglossal
Parotid lumps
Parotid = para otic = near the ear
Most parotid lumps are beneath the ear lobe, not pre-
- not pre-auricular
Golden rule # 8 Beware lumps near the ear They are also near the facial nerve
Parotid lumps
2/3 are Benign Pleomorphic adenoma benign mixed salivary tumour Warthins tumour Papillary lymphoid cystadenoma
- post-op Radiotherapy