Chen Jiafei, Chen Wei, Ke Shujun, Wang Ying, Chen Jiarui, Li Xiaoyan
Department of Otolaryngology，Head and Neck Surgery，Xiamen Women and Children's Hospital，Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital of Xiamen University，Xiamen，361003，China.
Department of Otolaryngology，Head and Neck Surgery，Children's Hospital of Shanghai，Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2025 Jul;39(7):646-651. doi: 10.13201/j.issn.2096-7993.2025.07.008.
This aims to investigate the diagnostic and evaluative value of MRI for lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial regions of children. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the MRI imaging data of 31 cases of head, neck, and facial lymphatic malformations in children admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, from January 2022 to January 2024. The MRI images of this group of cases primarily displayed irregular morphology（80.6%, 25/31）, thin-walled cysts（80.6%, 25/31）, and compression of surrounding tissues. The boundaries were clear（100%, 31/31）, with characteristics of invasive and drill-like growth（93.5%）. The cyst walls or internal septa exhibited high signal intensity on T1WI, low signal intensity on T2WI, and mild to moderate enhancement（100%）. The contents of the cysts showed low signal intensity on T1WI, high signal intensity on T2WI, and no enhancement（35.5%, 11/31）. Mixed signals with varying degrees of enhancement were observed in 20 cases（64.5%）. There were 29 cases of multilocular cysts（93.5%, 29/31）, and 11 cases of fluid-fluid levels（35.5%）. The MRI diagnostic accuracy for this group of cases was 100%. Lymphatic Malformations of head, neck and facial region in children have very characteristic features on MRI, such as typical thin wall, clear boundaries, irregular shapes, invasive growth, no enhancement, multilocular cystic masses, fluid-fluid level, etc. Furthermore, it is more appropriate for children with lymphatic malformations owing to its non-radiation and non-invasive benefits. Diagnosing lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial region in children should begin with this.
本研究旨在探讨MRI对儿童头颈部及面部淋巴管畸形的诊断及评估价值。回顾性分析2022年1月至2024年1月上海交通大学医学院附属儿童医院耳鼻咽喉头颈外科收治的31例儿童头颈部及面部淋巴管畸形的MRI影像资料。该组病例的MRI图像主要表现为形态不规则（80.6%，25/31）、薄壁囊肿（80.6%，25/31）及周围组织受压。边界清晰（100%，31/31），具有浸润性及钻孔样生长特点（93.5%）。囊肿壁或内部间隔在T1WI上呈高信号，T2WI上呈低信号，呈轻至中度强化（100%）。囊肿内容物在T1WI上呈低信号，T2WI上呈高信号，无强化（35.5%，11/31）。20例（64.5%）表现为不同程度强化的混合信号。多房囊肿29例（93.5%，29/31），液-液平面11例（35.5%）。该组病例的MRI诊断准确率为100%。儿童头颈部及面部淋巴管畸形在MRI上具有非常典型的特征，如典型的薄壁、边界清晰、形态不规则、浸润性生长、无强化、多房囊性肿块、液-液平面等。此外，由于其无辐射和非侵入性的优点，对患有淋巴管畸形的儿童更为适用。诊断儿童头颈部及面部淋巴管畸形应以此为开端。
