title: Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for midline neck masses in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and to assess the utility of preoperative ultrasonography in the pediatric patient with a midline neck mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic test study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  An institutional review board (UCLA Office of the Human Research Protection Program)-approved retrospective review of pediatric patients undergoing excision of a midline neck mass between 1999 and 2010 at a tertiary care institution was performed. The preoperative imaging modality, imaging diagnosis, and pathologic results were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty patients were included in this review. This study failed to demonstrate an association between preoperative ultrasound-based diagnoses and postoperative pathologic results (P > .99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography is commonly used in the workup of a midline neck mass in the pediatric population. Despite the utility of preoperative ultrasonography, the diagnostic accuracy of this imaging modality may have significant limitations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1624, USA. dsidell@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sidell
authors.forename: Nina L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Shapiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003884:Dermoid Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography