title: The great mimicker: a rare case of head and neck inflammatory pseudotumour in the presence of human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory pseudotumours of the head and neck are rare. A connection has been made between inflammatory pseudotumours and human immunodeficiency virus positivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper reports a case of an inflammatory pseudotumour presenting with a lesion in the left tonsil and left cervical lymph node in a 49-year-old human immunodeficiency virus positive patient. A histological diagnosis was obtained after biopsy and serial radiological imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnostic uncertainties can lead to unnecessary surgery. It is important to recognise the clinical, radiological and histological indicators of an inflammatory pseudotumour to enable a timely diagnosis and arrange appropriate treatment. In patients with co-morbidities causing immunocompromise, the potential diagnosis of an inflammatory pseudotumour should be considered. This is especially the case in human immunodeficiency virus patients, as inflammatory pseudotumours have been associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, which can manifest up to several years after the initiation of, or change in, antiretroviral therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Surgery,Frimley Park Hospital,Guildford,UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ramotar
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Surgery,Frimley Park Hospital,Guildford,UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Surgery,Royal Surrey County Hospital,Guildford,UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitkin
mesh_terms: D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010608:Pharyngeal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms
keywords: Granuloma; HIV; Head And Neck Neoplasms; Histology; Inflammatory Pseudotumors; Lymph Nodes; Plasma Cell; Radiology