Fact-sheet: Cervical lymphadenitis
Updated on 04/23/2019 at 9:59 AM
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Definition
Suppurative cervical lymph node.
Clinical features
Inflammatory swelling of the neck.
Pain, +/- lethargy, +/- associated torticollis, +/- anorexia.
Often seen in children.
Context of an ENT infectious focus or viral illness.
Laboratory findings
Sometimes an inflammatory laboratory syndrome.
CT
Contrast-enhanced CT:
Lymph node mass, inflammatory, with infiltration of adjacent soft tissues, +/- peripheral enhancement after injection (depending on the degree of collection), +/- hypodense (necrotic/purulent) center.
Management
Systemic antibiotic therapy; if unsuccessful or if a collection is present: surgical drainage with placement of a drain to prevent secondary reabscessing.
Differential diagnosis
-sialadenitis
-submandibular sialadenitis
-superinfected branchial cleft cysts.
-Thyroglossal duct cyst (midline region)
- tuberculosis
-tularemia
-cat scratch disease
-atypical mycobacteria
-tumors (lymphoma)