Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 5, 2026
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells in Leptomeningeal Disease Research
Published on: March 29, 2024
Cranium-Penetrating Mass Detected by Ultrasound Expedited Management of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
Brian Morgan1, Hsien Lee Lau, Sharon Yellin
1From the *New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY; and †Department of Emergency Medicine, Denver Health, Denver, CO.
Insights
A pediatric case highlights Langerhans cell histiocytosis presenting as a postauricular mass. Early ultrasound and MRI imaging aided diagnosis and surgical planning for this rare condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Radiology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare clonal proliferative disorder.
- LCH can manifest in various organs, including bone and soft tissues, presenting diagnostic challenges.
Abstract:
A 6-year-old boy presented to the pediatric emergency department with a unilateral 5 × 3-cm superficial mass on the postauricular region growing for 1 month. Point-of-care ultrasound was used to evaluate the mass, which revealed a complex cystic mass penetrating the temporal bone. After confirmatory magnetic resonance imaging, the patient was transferred for neurosurgical evaluation, and the tumor was excised. Pathology revealed Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
