Clinico-pathological Profile of Neck Masses in Patient Attending ENT Indoor and Outpatient Department at Tertiary Care Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Introduction: The evaluation of a neck mass is a common clinical condition to which an ENT clinician routinely encounters. Commonly presenting neck masses occur within lymph nodes, thyroid, parotid and other salivary glands. Less common pathologies presenting as neck swellings are from thyroglossal cysts, branchial cleft cysts, carotid body tumors, cystic hygromas, pharyngeal pouch abnormalities and lumps of skin appendages.

Aim: to evaluate the efficacy and precision of FNAC in the diagnosis of neck masses in this study.
Methods: The present prospective study was carried out Department of ENT, 250 Bed General Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh from January to December 2024, among 100 patients attended the ENT OPD reported with the history of neck swelling. Sample size was achieved by using the randomization table obtained from the WINPEPI Software. To arrive at a tentative diagnosis, a thorough examination, full history taking, and basic pertinent investigations were completed on all 46 patients in accordance with the proforma.

Results: Out of 100 patients, 67 were women and 33 were men. Mean age of the study population was 37.67±15.04. The anterior region of the neck was affected in 43% of patients, according to the table above. 15% of patients had neck involvement in the submental region. Out all, 59 % of swelling in our study were firm, followed by 13 % of swelling were soft and cystic in consistency. 34 thyroid swellings in total, 2 of which was equivocal on FNAC but was later diagnosed as colloid goitre by HPE. There were 24 lymph nodes swelling FNAC reports that were similar to HPE out of a total of 46, whereas the remaining 22 reports were not. Out of total 46 lymph node swelling 2 was inconclusive on FNAC which on HPE turned out to be reactive lymphadenopathy.

Conclusion: We draw the conclusion that fine needle aspiration cytology is easy and safe approach for diagnosing a variety of neck swellings.

Keywords: HPE, Neck Swelling, FNAC.