Modern Approach to the Neck Mass

Neck mass is a common first sign of malignancy in adult patients. Timely diagnosis can prevent disease progression. Initial evaluation of a neck mass includes creating a plan for obtaining further diagnostic information such as through imaging and tissue diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) can be done with or without ultrasound (US) guidance and is commonly done as an alternative to core biopsy and open biopsy. The accuracy of US-guided FNA has been shown to supersede that of palpation-guided FNA. Moreover, in-office US-guided FNA has become more accessible over time and can improve time to diagnosis.