Inflammatory Pseudotumor of Neck (anterior aspect) in a Child: A Rare Case Report

Souvagini Acharya1, Priyanka Agrawal1, Rajat Kumar Dash2

  • 1Department of ENT, VIMSAR Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha India.

Insights

Inflammatory pseudotumor is rare in the head and neck, but this case highlights its potential. Early consideration of this condition is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment of neck swelling.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pathology
  • Head and Neck Surgery
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare benign lesion.
  • Primarily affects the lungs and orbit, with only 15% occurring in the head and neck.
  • Neck swelling can be challenging to diagnose, with various potential causes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of inflammatory pseudotumor in a pediatric neck.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering IPT in the differential diagnosis of neck masses.
  • To highlight diagnostic challenges and the role of histopathology.

Main Methods:

  • Case presentation of a 2-year-old child with progressive neck swelling.
  • Diagnostic workup included Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC).
  • Surgical excision and subsequent Histopathological Examination (HPE) for definitive diagnosis.

Main Results:

  • Clinical presentation of insidious onset, progressive anterior neck swelling over 7 months.
  • Imaging (MRI) and cytology (FNAC) were inconclusive for the final diagnosis.
  • Postoperative HPE definitively confirmed the diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor.

Conclusions:

  • Inflammatory pseudotumor is an important differential diagnosis for pediatric neck swelling.
  • Diagnostic modalities like MRI and FNAC may be misleading in cases of IPT.
  • Histopathological examination remains the gold standard for diagnosing inflammatory pseudotumor in the neck.