Neck Lumps

Question 1

Lymphoma

Answer 1

Rubbery, painless lymphadenopathy
May have night sweats and splenomegaly

Question 2

What do thyroid nodules do on swallowing?

Answer 2

Move upwards

Question 3

Thyroglossal cyst

Answer 3

More common in patients < 20 years old
Usually midline, between the isthmus of the thyroid and the hyoid bone
Moves upwards with protrusion of the tongue
May be painful if infected

Question 4

Pharyngeal pouch

Answer 4

More common in older men
Usually not seen but if large then a midline lump in the neck that gurgles on palpation
Typical symptoms are dysphagia, regurgitation, aspiration and chronic cough

Question 5

Cystic hygroma

Answer 5

A congenital lymphatic lesion (lymphangioma) typically found in the neck, classically on the left side
Most are evident at birth, around 90% present before 2 years of age

Question 6

Branchial cyst

Answer 6

An oval, mobile cystic mass that develops anterior to the sternocleidomastoid muscle
Develop due to failure of obliteration of the second branchial cleft in embryonic development
Usually present in early adulthood

Question 7

Carotid aneurysm

Answer 7

Pulsatile lateral neck mass which doesn’t move on swallowing