From pathology back to the clinic: refining indications for paediatric cervical lymph node biopsy

Cervical lymphadenopathy is common in children, yet indications for open biopsy remain debated. Most studies analyse clinical cohorts in which only a subset of patients undergo biopsy, limiting correlation with definitive diagnoses. We adopted a pathology-first approach to identify the clinical and imaging features associated with malignant haematologic disease among children undergoing cervical lymph node biopsy. We performed a retrospective review of 160 consecutive paediatric cervical lymph node biopsies conducted at a tertiary referral centre. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and pathological data were collected. Benignity and malignancy criteria guided the analysis, and associations were summarised using odds ratios. Among the 160 biopsies, 81 (50.6%) revealed malignant haematologic disease, predominantly Hodgkin lymphoma. Infectious lymphadenopathy and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia were the most frequent benign diagnoses. No metastatic lymph nodes were identified. Clinical signs associated with malignancy included lymph node fixation, dyspnoea, and fever. Imaging features suggestive of malignancy included dedifferentiated and hypoechoic lymph nodes, compression of the internal jugular vein, abdominopelvic lymphadenopathy, cardiomediastinal enlargement, and confluent cervical nodes. The risk of malignancy increased progressively with the number of involved cervical nodal levels. Lower cervical and, in particular, supraclavicular locations were strongly associated with malignancy.

In children undergoing cervical lymph node biopsy, malignant lymphadenopathy is overwhelmingly dominated by lymphoma rather than metastatic disease. A combination of clinical findings and high-quality ultrasound evaluation can help identify children at higher risk of malignant haematologic disease and support more selective use of surgical biopsy.

• Paediatric cervical lymphadenopathy is common; although most cases are benign, some may indicate serious underlying disease. • Several studies have described clinical and paraclinical prognostic factors associated with paediatric cervical lymphadenopathy.

• High-quality ultrasound triage can substantially reduce unnecessary cervical lymph node biopsies. • By adopting a pathology-first approach, this study identifies preoperative clinical and imaging criteria associated with malignancy, helping to determine which children truly require biopsy and which could be safely observed.