The child with a mass on its head: diagnostic and surgical strategies

Childs Nerv Syst. 1992 Aug;8(5):247-52. doi: 10.1007/BF00300790.

Abstract

A series of 65 pediatric patients with scalp or calvarial masses is reported on. The majority of children presented with a disfiguring or painful mass on the head. Clinical findings suggested the correct diagnosis in 39/65 cases, skull radiographs in 46/65, and CT in 49/65. Taking the combined results of clinical and radiological studies, 54/65 of the lesions were accurately diagnosed. Tumor excision was curative in 43 of 48 patients who were operated on. Most scalp and calvarial neoplasms were benign; only 5/65 children harboured a malignant lesion. There was no mortality related to surgery in the series. Surgical intervention seems to be indicated in most cases, both for diagnosis and for treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Scalp / diagnostic imaging
  • Scalp / surgery*
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Skull Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Skull Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*