title: Evaluating neck masses.
abstract: Neck masses often present a diagnostic challenge to the primary care provider: Etiologies range from benign inflammations to life-threatening malignancies. Categorizing the etiologies into three broad categories is helpful when considering the extensive differential diagnosis for a neck mass: congenital, inflammatory/infectious, and neoplastic causes. This article discusses the evaluation and subsequent determination of whether a neck mass is significant and warrants further evaluation or is insignificant and may simply be observed. By performing a through history and physical examination, primary care providers can narrow the possibilities, differentiate between significant and insignificant neck masses, and select the appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, D.C., USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Prisco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003560:Cysts / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck