title: The mass in the neck.
abstract: A cervical mass should be approached in a systematic manner with a full knowledge of the possible etiologies and their consequences. The approach taken with a child differs markedly from that taken with an adult. Cervical masses in children are likely to be congenital or inflammatory. In adults, neoplastic masses are most common; most of these are metastatic. Indirect laryngoscopy, important in the search for the primary lesion, should be performed on all patients.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001935:Branchioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis