Review of Head and Neck Masses in the Indian Population Based on Prevalence and Etiology With an Emphasis on Primary Diagnostic Modalities.

Head and neck masses are classified as sebaceous cysts (epidermoid cysts), cervical lymphadenopathy, benign lipomas, lymph nodes, thyroid swellings, or tuberculosis lymphadenitis that may be painful or painless, adherent or fluctuant. In spite of this, they have distinct prognoses and pathological features. The anatomical location of the swelling and other demographic manifestations of the patient provide valuable information about the cause and type of swelling. Computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography-CT, and ultrasonography are the gold standard imaging methods for the head and neck examination. These methods are used according to the region considered for the study. Fine-needle aspiration cytology of lymph nodes is known to be effective, simple, and sometimes the only tool for the diagnosis of lymph node malignancies. This review highlights the epidemiological aspect of head and neck masses in the Indian population.

Isolated cysticercosis involving the anterior abdominal wall: a rare case report.

Isolated cysticercosis of anterior abdominal wall without parasitosis of central nervous system is very rare and may mimic a tumor leading to diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Histopathological examination plays an important role in making a definitive diagnosis. Here we report a case of a 13-year old Muslim girl presenting with swelling and pain in left lower abdomen which was clinically diagnosed as lipoma. On histopathological examination cysticercus with surrounding inflammation was seen. Since cysticercosis is a preventable disease, early and accurate diagnosis is necessary for the reduction of disease burden in the endemic areas.

Accelerated Phase of Chediak-Higashi Syndrome at Initial Presentation: A Case Report of an Uncommon Occurrence in a Rare Disorder.

Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) is an uncommon and fatal congenital disorder. The characteristic features of CHS are partial oculocutaneous albinism, increased vulnerability to infections, presence of abnormal large granules in leukocytes and an accelerated lymphohistiocytic phase. Accelerated phase at initial presentation is rarely seen as it is usually preceded by repeated episodes of infections. Hence this interesting case of a four-month-old Indian child born to consanguineous parents in accelerated phase at initial presentation is described. The boy presented with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and cleft lip. Clinical diagnosis was leukemia or a lysosomal storage disorder. Cytopaenias, lymphohistiocytic infiltration in bone marrow, and the characteristic large granules in leucocytes helped in the diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of bone marrow in diagnosis of unusual presentation of this rare disorder.