Sonography of neck masses in children: is it useful?

111 patients aged two days to 20 years with neck masses were examined by ultrasound. Results were compared to subsequent histo-pathological or clinical diagnosis. Sonography allowed us to divide neck masses into two groups, a sonospecific group in which an accurate presurgical diagnosis was made in 92%, and a non-sonospecific group. The sonospecific group contained 48 patients and included thyroid masses, cystic hygromas, certain cases of adenopathy and a cervical myelomeningocele. The non-sonospecific group contained 63 patients and included a variety of neck masses such as dermoid cysts, branchial cleft cysts, the majority of cases of adenopathy, hemangiomas, lymphangiomas and various other neoplastic masses. Sonography serves to delineate the extent of neck masses, define the relationship of the mass to the thyroid and major neck vessels and guide fine needle aspiration biopsy.