title: Intramuscular myxoma of the cervical paraspinal musculature: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: METHODS
  A 57year old female patient presented with a painful right-sided neck mass that on MRI was shown to be adherent to the posterior aspect of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The mass was surgically resected en bloc without complications. Histopathologic analysis revealed the mass to be a myxoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  To date, there have been several case reports of myxomas, although very few involving the head or neck. The majority of the literature available concurs that myxomas are benign neoplasms that exhibit characteristic qualities on MRI imaging. The definitive treatment by consensus is surgical excision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the incidence of head and neck myxomas is low, it is important to include in the differential of a neck mass with certain radiographic findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Zac
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tataryn
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Jeremiah
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA. Electronic address: ctsang@tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Carl B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Heilman
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Richard O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Wein
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000473:pathology*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D035583:Rare Diseases; D016896:Treatment Outcome