Review of Head and Neck Masses in the Indian Population Based on Prevalence and Etiology With an Emphasis on Primary Diagnostic Modalities.

Nilam Bhasker

doi:10.7759/cureus.16249

Abstract

Head and neck masses are classified as sebaceous cysts (epidermoid cysts), cervical lymphadenopathy, benign lipomas, lymph nodes, thyroid swellings, or tuberculosis lymphadenitis that may be painful or painless, adherent or fluctuant. In spite of this, they have distinct prognoses and pathological features. The anatomical location of the swelling and other demographic manifestations of the patient provide valuable information about the cause and type of swelling. Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography-CT, and ultrasonography are the gold standard imaging methods for the head and neck examination. These methods are used according to the region considered for the study. Fine-needle aspiration cytology of lymph nodes is known to be effective, simple, and sometimes the only tool for the diagnosis of lymph node malignancies. This review highlights the epidemiological aspect of head and neck masses in the Indian population.

Highlights

BackgroundThe presence of external superficial mass in the head region is a frequent reason for patients to seek an ear-nose-and-throat (ENT) consultation
This study reported that they more frequently occur in males compared with females, and approximately 1% of epidermoid cysts transform into malignant squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) [25]
This study has shown that the lesion was more common among males (58%) and found that buccal mucosa was the most frequently affected site

Summary

Introduction

The presence of external superficial mass (lump or nodule) in the head region is a frequent reason for patients to seek an ear-nose-and-throat (ENT) consultation. Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common complication of bacterial, viral, and dental infections, as well as surgical procedures of the head and neck It can be diagnosed when patients have accompanying symptoms of a systemic infection, oral trauma, or dental infections. Ultrasound offers excellent non-invasive soft tissue characterization, especially in the case of head lumps, salivary gland tumors, thyroid nodules, and geographic lymph node morphology in head and neck imaging, in superficial primary sites and nodal basins. Ultrasound provides clarification for the superior image in salivary gland lesions, thyroid nodules, and lymph nodes, and it is the ideal imaging modality for guided surgical interventional procedures such as FNAC and core needle biopsy. FNAC is an outpatient cytological procedure used for the diagnosis and management of suspicious nodules in the head and neck region It is simple, comfortable, easy to administer, and a reasonably precise technique. On-site assessment by a cytopathologist may further reduce the rate of inadequacies with FNAC

Conclusions

Findings

Disclosures