Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Congenital and Infantile Masses of the Head and Neck
Alexandra M Foust1, Rekha Krishnasarma1, Caroline D Robson1
1From the Department of Radiology, Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, 2200 Children's Way, Nashville, TN 37232 (A.M.F., R.K., E.S., D.M., K.D.C., L.J., S.P., A.S.); and Department of Radiology, Harvard University, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass (C.D.R., J.R.).
Abstract:
The spectrum of congenital and infantile masses of the head and neck is broad, including developmental and neoplastic entities. The diseases encountered in this vulnerable patient population differ substantially from those in older children and adults. Familiarity with the types of encountered masses, typical imaging characteristics, and expected clinical course is critical for radiologists who care for pregnant women (fetuses) and infants. This knowledge allows radiologists to provide a timely diagnosis and appropriate follow-up imaging recommendations and, in some fetal imaging cases, inform delivery planning. This article uses a location-based approach to highlight imaging features of numerous common and rare congenital and infantile masses of the head and neck. ©RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Arteries of the Head and Neck
The internal carotid arteries supply blood to the anterior portion of the cerebrum. They enter the...
01:19Muscles that Move the Head
The bilateral sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, and the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles are significant head flexors. The SCM muscles originate at the sternum and clavicle and attach to the mastoid process of the temporal bone. The SCM contracts bilaterally to bend the head forward, whereas...
01:19Veins of Head and Neck
On the other hand, the vertebral veins, unlike their arterial counterparts, are not primarily responsible for brain drainage. Instead, they drain the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, and some small...
01:22Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
01:19Cranial and Spinal Meninges
Cranial Meninges
These meningeal layers cover the cranium. The dura mater is the outermost layer of cranial meninges. It is a thick and durable membrane of dense...
01:14Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...