title: Approach to the pediatric neck mass.
abstract: Neck masses are frequent findings in the pediatric population and the physician caring for a child with a neck mass may be faced with a diagnostic dilemma. The etiology of pediatric cervical masses includes a variety of conditions. Unlike for the adult, there are few established guidelines for evaluation of these children. A recent review of 445 neck masses operated on at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia noted the preoperative diagnosis to be correct in 270, or only 61%. Clinical characteristics which may aid in establishing a correct preoperative diagnosis, as well as guidelines for the evaluation of the child presenting with a neck mass will be discussed.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Torsiglieri
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Wetmore
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology*