title: Congenital cystic neck masses: embryology and imaging appearances, with clinicopathological correlation.
abstract: Congenital cystic masses of the neck are uncommon and can present in any age group. Diagnosis of these lesions can be sometimes challenging. Many of these have characteristic locations and imaging findings. The most common of all congenital cystic neck masses is the thyroglossal duct cyst. The other congenital cystic neck masses are branchial cleft cyst, cystic hygroma (lymphangioma), cervical thymic and bronchogenic cysts, and the floor of the mouth lesions including dermoid and epidermoid cysts. In this review, we illustrate the common congenital cystic neck masses including embryology, clinical findings, imaging features, and histopathological findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Electronic address: santhosh.gaddikeri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Santhosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaddikeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Alabama Hospital, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Surjith
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vattoth
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Ramya S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Gaddikeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Alabama Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Royal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Alabama Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Alabama Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Puneet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhargava
mesh_terms: D001935:Branchioma / Q000151:congenital / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D003884:Dermoid Cyst / Q000151:congenital / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000473:pathology; D018191:Lymphangioma, Cystic / Q000151:congenital / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000151:congenital / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*; D013955:Thyroglossal Cyst / Q000151:congenital / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology*