Paediatric neck ultrasound - what role does it play in aiding diagnosis; a single centre audit of outcomes
By Abhinavprithvi Kanigicherla, Hull University Teaching Hospitals
Aim
To assess the clinical effectiveness of neck ultrasound in the paediatric population in a tertiary care centre.
Methods
To assess 6 months of paediatric neck ultrasound requests and results with 100% compliance in aiding a
radiological diagnosis. 107 cases between June 22 – Dec 22.
Results
Of the cohort analysed, 65% were male, 35% female. The average age was 6 years and 7 months, with the
range of ages between 10 months to 16 years. Reasons for referral included antenatal absent thymus,
recurrent discharge, and incidental neck lumps noticed by parents. 89% of cases had normal lymph nodes,
1% subcutaneous haematoma, 1% normal thymus, 1% dental infection/collection, 4% thyroglossal duct
cysts, 2% epidermoids and 2% abnormal lymph node abscesses. The abnormal lymph node abscesses had
the appearance of a hypoattenuating area arising from and extending out of the lymph node. These were
investigated for atypical mycobacterium such as TB.
Conclusion
Prompt USS evaluation as an adjunct to the clinical picture helped aid diagnosis and triage management.
In unusual cases such as the lymph node abscesses, it helped to guide the clinical team in diagnosis by
investigating for atypical pathogens. Neck USS remains an important mainstay in the analysis and evaluation
of neck pathology in the paediatric population.