The role of radiology in head and neck tumours in children.
Head and neck malignancy is rare in children. However, distinguishing malignant tumours from the more common and numerous benign causes of neck masses in childhood is crucial as many malignant conditions have an excellent prognosis with appropriate oncological management. Ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging all have crucial roles in the diagnosis of head and neck malignancy in children and there is an emerging role for positron emission tomography, particularly in the management and follow-up of lymphoma. We describe the imaging appearances of the common malignant tumours arising in the extracranial head and neck in children, focusing on lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The clinical presentation and radiological appearances of benign tumours in the head and neck in children may overlap with those seen in malignant disease. We describe the imaging appearances of juvenile angiofibroma, vascular abnormalities involving the extracranial head and neck and cervical teratomas. Advances in both imaging techniques and cancer staging systems, many of the latter aimed at avoiding over-treatment and treatment-related complications, will lead to an increasingly central role for imaging in childhood head and neck cancer.
Lloyd
Claire
C
Department of Radiology, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Charing Cross Hospital Campus, Fulham Palace Road, London, SW6 8RF, UK. clairelloyd@doctors.org.uk
McHugh
Kieran
K
D018322:Angiofibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods