The differential diagnosis is long... You need an approach.

The Rule of 3s: 3 minutes -- Traumatic 3 days -- Inflammatory 3 months -- Neoplastic 3 years -- Congenital

3 Minutes? Traumatic

3 Days? Inflammatory

[caption id="attachment_1777" align="alignnone" width="262"] Cervical Node Chain; Lymphadenopathy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1773" align="alignnone" width="298"] Bacterial Lymphadenitis[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1772" align="alignnone" width="300"] Bacterial lymphadenitis with small abscess[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1771" align="alignnone" width="300"] Large Abscess[/caption]

3 Months? Neoplastic

3 Years? Congenital

[caption id="attachment_1784" align="alignnone" width="300"] Thyroglossal Duct Cyst[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1783" align="alignnone" width="300"] Thyroglossal Duct Cyst[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1776" align="alignnone" width="278"] Branchial Cleft Cyst[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1775" align="alignnone" width="263"] Branchial Cleft Cyst[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1774" align="alignnone" width="233"] Branchial Cleft Cyst[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1779" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cystic Hygroma[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1778" align="alignnone" width="235"] Cystic Hygroma[/caption]

Selected References

Enepekides DJ. Management of congenital anomalies of the neck. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am 2001; 9:131.

Lin ST, Tseng FY, Hsu CJ, et al. Thyroglossal duct cyst: a comparison between children and adults. Am J Otolaryngol 2008; 29:83.

Mandell DL. Head and neck anomalies related to the branchial apparatus. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2000; 33:1309.

Marler JJ, Mulliken JB. Current management of hemangiomas and vascular malformations. Clin Plast Surg 2005; 32:99.

Silverman, J. F., Gurley, A. M., Holbrook, C. T., Joshi, V. V. (1991) Pediatric fine needle aspiration biopsy. American Journal of Clinical Pathology 95: 653–659

Sonnino RE, Spigland N, Laberge JM, Desjardins J, Guttman FM. Unusual patterns of congenital neck masses in children. J Pediatr Surg. 1989 Oct;24(10):966-9.