title: Histology of solid lateral cervical masses biopsied in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Solid cervical lateral neck masses in children may require surgical biopsy to confirm appropriate diagnostic and begin a directed therapeutic treatment. We aimed to describe the contribution of pathological results and compare them with the clinical diagnosis and the paraclinical tools.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of surgical biopsies for solid lateral neck masses in children over a ten year period in a pediatric tertiary center was conducted. Demographic, imaging, laboratory analysis, surgical and pathological data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics with SPSS 17.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  44 biopsies were done between 2002 and 2012. Inflammatory masses were found in 26/44 biopsies with half of them (13/26) being nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lymphadenitis. Non-inflammatory/benign masses represented 9/44 biopsies and 5/44 masses were of malignant etiology. Malignant masses imaging had a sensitivity and specificity of 33% and 75%, respectively, for ultrasound, whereas Neck CT scan had 33% and 77%, respectively. The contribution of pathological results to the clinical management was questionable in 39% (17/44) of biopsies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory masses with NTM lymphadenitis were the most common diagnosis. Imaging was not helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Heterogeneity in the management of solid lateral neck masses between clinicians was important and indicates the need for guideline approach.
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada. Electronic address: mp.charron@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abela
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arcand
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giguère
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lapointe
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: Mc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintal
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cavel
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Pediatric Otolaryngology Service, Canada; Université de Montréal, Canada. Electronic address: patrick.froehlich.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Froehlich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology*; D018296:Pilomatrixoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Biopsy; Child; Diagnosis; Lymph node excision; Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis; Neck