A neck mass or neck lump is an ambiguous mass found in the neck area. There are many different possible causes,[1] including head and neck cancer[2] and congenital conditions like branchial anomalies and thyroglossal duct cysts.[3]
Diagnosis
Workup of a neck mass includes a medical history and a physical examination, where important characteristics are location, size, shape, consistency, tenderness, mobility, and color.[4]
When this is not conclusive, further workup includes:
^Pynnonen, Melissa A.; Gillespie, M. Boyd; Roman, Benjamin; Rosenfeld, Richard M.; Tunkel, David E.; Bontempo, Laura; Brook, Itzhak; Chick, Davoren Ann; Colandrea, Maria; Finestone, Sandra A.; Fowler, Jason C.; Griffith, Christopher C.; Henson, Zeb; Levine, Corinna; Mehta, Vikas (September 2017). "Clinical Practice Guideline: Evaluation of the Neck Mass in Adults". Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 157 (S2). doi:10.1177/0194599817722550. ISSN0194-5998.