Superficial Soft-Tissue Masses of the Head and Neck: A Pictorial Review

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of superficial masses in the head and neck is broad and encompasses both benign and malignant soft-tissue tumors. Certain superficial masses of dermal origin do not fall under the World Health Organization classification for soft-tissue tumors but, nonetheless, present similarly and should be considered in the differential. Although many of these superficial masses cannot be definitively diagnosed on imaging alone, recognizing certain imaging patterns and ancillary clinical features may help narrow the differential diagnosis and distinguish benign and malignant lesions. The present article does not aim to provide a comprehensive review of all superficial head and neck masses but rather helps to organize the more common masses by cellular origin and provides an overview of pertinent demographics or risk factors to aid in informed decision-making.Learning Objective: To generate a differential diagnosis of head and neck superficial soft-tissue tumors based on clinical history and imaging features